Monsters and Demons Among Men
by RackleCrackle
Summary: Naruto failed to retrieve Sasuke at VotE. Konoha sent Naruto to prison and things take a bad turn. After a series of events Naruto escapes to discover the Akatsuki is after the jinnchuuriki. He races to unite all jinnchuuriki and stop the Akatsuki.Time passes but the past always come back.Warnings;NaruSasu,AUish,ANGST,VeryDarkThemes,YOAI
1. The Insult to Injury

_Naruto failed to retrieve Sasuke at VotE. Konoha sent Naruto to prison and things take a bad turn. After a series of events Naruto escapes to discover the Akatsuki is after the jinnchuuriki. He races to unite all jinnchuuriki and stop the passes but the past always come ;NaruSasu,AUish,ANGST,VeryDarkThemes,YAOI_

* * *

**AN-** This will have very strong dark themes including graphic scenes and violence among other things. This story is multiplot.

I do NOT own the Naruto, if i did i sure as hell wouldn't be writing fanfiction and would be eating burritos by the beach. That is all.

**The Insult to Injury**

The day was gloomy and storm clouds already bringing heavy rain with them. "The trail stops here, his scent is washed away, I'm sorry" the small brown pug Pakkun told Kakashi. Kakashi himself was silent and panicking but one couldn't tell by looking at his face. He looked around him at the widespread destruction that his two students caused and the crater in the middle of the valley. '_Sasuke.._'

He was dragging himself through the forest, his shoulder was still bleeding but was healing due to his tenant. He was going as fast as he could. He was almost there, waves of pain radiating from his shoulder he could see all of them at the gate. They all turned and stared at him the realization hitting their faces and turning to shock them to disbelief. He reached them and was about to speak when his pink haired teammate spoke practically hysterical "where's Sasuke!?" The panic was rising in her voice as she started shaking Naruto "where is he Naruto, where!"

Naruto wasn't sure what to say, he had failed and broken his promise to her. "He's gone, hes not coming back, I tried but he tried to kill me with his Chidori and I held back on my Rasengan I thought I would kill him he knocked me out and escaped." The sudden flash of anger in her watery eyes was the last thing he wanted to see.

"You failed, you promised me me you would bring him back! You LIED to me." He visibly winced at her words

"Sakura.."

"You promised! You did this on purpose you knew I loved him! I should have NEVER believed you, you're too WEAK to bring him back" she spat at him. The anger and hurt at his failure was controlling her.

Shikamaru cut in "Sakura stop, Sasuke-" but before he could finish she sprinted away not choosing to listen to him. Ino said "I'll go after her" and she shot them a worried glance and left to chase Sakura. The silence surrounding them was heavy Shikamaru was about the speak when Naruto asked "what about the rest?'

"They're all in the ICU, they'll all survive but it looks bad now."

"What about you?"

"Ill be fine going to the hospital is too troublesome, you should go though" he said looking at his shoulder.

"No I'll be fine I'm going home" he said with a faraway expression on his face and left Shikamaru standing alone in the rain.

On his way home trudging through the alleys and backways the villagers all stared at him openly glaring at him with anger and hatred in their eyes. Then a big man who was obviously drunk punched Naruto in the face and then the stomach causing him to fall to the ground.

"Worthless piece of crap" he hissed.

"You should have done AT LEAST something right by bringing the Uchiha home." Naruto tried to get up but found himself staring up at the gray sky with the man's foot on his chest and then another sharp pain hit him in the side. "Stay down" he said and after a final kick and throwing sake in his face he left.

Moving almost like a robot he continued his way home and after closing his door he let his legs go out from under him and slid to the floor with his back against the door. He didn't know what to do he felt numb, a heavy feeling of hollowness. He failed. Simple as that, he failed to bring his best friend home and everyone hated him even more than before. He was so disappointed in himself and angry at Sasuke for leaving and it was worse that everyone stared at him with hatred and anger. '_How could he do this he's so blind with anger and hatred, why did he have to do this. He really tried to kill me, he wasn't holding back.'_

With what little energy he had he took a shower, changed his clothes and went to bed too exhausted and depressed to eat some of his favorite ramen he left on his counter prior to leaving to retrieve his best friend.

* * *

"You can't do this Danzo" Tsunade said with anger in her voice. She was getting a major throbbing in her head. '_Kami I need a drink_'.

"Oh but we can you know he's a danger here, and since you care soo deeply for him you know it's whats best, kill two birds with one stone" he spoke with a smirk on his face.

As much as she hated to admit it he was right things here would only get worse for him here. She couldn't do anything to help him she was cornered._ 'No, I have to find a way to keep him from going there'_. "What about open banishment, we recall him when he is needed" she suggested.

"No" one of the civilian councilmen said. "He's certainly not going to be happy about his punishment and open banishment gives him an opportunity to find someone who is willing to train him or worse he could become loyal to another village and then come back to get revenge on Konoha."

Tsunade was angered further by this "he would never do that he is loyal to Konoha and he has proven himself plenty."

Danzo cut in "you never know Hokage-_sama_ he could be under the influence of the fox after what happened today." Tsunade was beyond speechless and Danzo saw this and took advantage. "All those in favor of our previous choice raise your hand." With that every single hand shot up in the assembly except for the Hokage's….'_no_'.

"It's an unanimous vote looks like you have no option." With that Naruto's fate was sealed. Tsunade felt like she was going to pass out a deep stabbing feeling in the pit of her stomach. _'Oh Kami no, not this_'.

* * *

Heavy urgent knocking woke Naruto from the little sleep he got, he spent a good part of the night tossing and turning, their battle scene replaying in his head. He got up and felt heavy he was healed but his limbs felt like they were being weighed down by cement. He opened the door and found Anbu at his door. One had a rabbit mask, one with a cat mask, and one with a bird mask. The rabbit mask spoke first with a surprisingly feminine voice "Naruto Uzumaki you're under arrest."

He was standing in front of the council with a numb sensation and was beginning to panic, he knew there was no way this was good. "Naruto Uzumaki you are being tired for attempted murder of the last member of a prominent clan, destruction of village property, and acting without the Hokage's orders. Your fellow teammate Sakura Haruna said that you attacked your teammate Sasuke Uchiha with the Rasengan which is a jutsu used primarily to kill, and Kakashi Hatake your sensei stated that he felt a demonic chakra presence coming from your battle, do you deny any of this?"

Naruto's mouth went dry and he could feel bile starting to rise in his throat "No, but Sasuke was trying to kill me, he came at me with the intention to kill. I had to use Rasengan and the Kyuubi's chakra to defend myself!"and with that Danzo started speaking.

"Since you don't deny any of the accusations, Naruto Uzumaki, on behalf of the council and all of Konoha you are deemed a danger to the village and attempting to kill a former Leaf shinobi without permission from the Hokage. That is something we don't take lightly you are considered a failure to this village and a disgrace, you are being sentenced to Voltora Prison for an indefined amount of time."

_'Wait,...indefinite...prison, WHAT!' a_nd with that Naruto was tied with rope at the hands and legs and being dragged out of the conference room kicking and squirming. "WAIT, WHAT NO! THIS IS A MISUNDERSTANDING! HEY I WAS DEFENDING MYSELF WHY DON'T YOU BELIEVE ME! DO SOMETHING BAA-CHAN PLEASE! "We are defending our own by doing this Naruto" Danzo said in a calm felt two fingers on his neck and then pressure "Baa-chan..." was all he managed to whisper as everything went black.

Tsunade felt a sharp pain in her chest the look of betrayal and hurt on his face hurt her so much. She got up and went to the window where she saw the little boy she considered a brother carried over an Anbus shoulder to prison. She felt tears falling from her face as the councilmen left her in the room by herself she clutched the crystal around her neck. Saw the blond boy thrown into the back of a truck like a ragdoll with such force that he hit the wall and the truck swayed from side to side. And with the start of the engine the truck was gone and after a minute they were but a dot in the distance.

* * *

"Villagers today is the day we can finally be happy because a burden has been lifted from our shoulders after 12 years." Danzo shouted at the village meeting that was called. "Due to damage and attempted murder of an Uchiha without consent from the Hokage Naruto Uzumaki has been sent to Voltora Prison for an indefinite amount of time." It was complete silence for a minute you could hear a metaphoric pin drop 5 yards away. And with that everyone started celebrating and cheering and shouting. Almost everyone was celebrating but Naruto's friends who were all in shock and thinking '_no…'_

* * *

He woke up to being in complete darkness and groaned '_oh thank Kami it was just a nightmare'_

"Hey kid wake up were almost there"….._'we're almost there…' _The reality of it struck and he started banging on the little window that divided the drivers from the trunk

"Let me go please, I was trying to help Sasuke, this is a huge mistake!" he shouted. "Please I was just trying to save him" he said in a raspy voice. Then up ahead he saw it. Voltora Prison or better known as in the horror stories as Blood Prison.


	2. The Ugly Truth

**AN-**I do not own Naruto, ill trade you a cookie for it though, is that good enough? If anyone is curious i am in the process of writing Ch 3 itll probs be up tomorrow.

**The Ugly Truth**

The prison was huge, five stories high gray bricks and posts at every corner of the prisons (like the giant dome like towers from medieval times, what are those called?) it was surrounded by a huge electrical fence with currents of blue electricity visible and outside of that was two smaller fences of barbed wire. He was already nervous and scared. They stopped and opened the door "get out, now."

The prison guard that opened the door guard that opened that door was huge stood in dark green ninja pants, a black t-shirt with armor plates on his chest and forearms. He wore open toed ninja boots, had a buzz cut and scars all over his arms and hands. Before Naruto could react he grabbed him and put the shackles on his wrists and around his ankles and yanked him out of the back of the van.

He connected his chains to a continuous line of new prisoners, they all had panicked expressions and he thought '_don't let them see you panic, you're alright, it'll be fine_' so he kept his face impassive and expressionless. They walked into the central courtyard which was gray, gray everywhere. The floors, the walls, even the little bit of grass seemed gray, hell even the prisoners walking around like zombies were gray, it was as if that was the only color that existed here in the damn color spectrum. After being given a tour and looked at as if he were some type of foreign animal they were sent to the main courtyard again.

The guy which appeared to be the owner stood before them. He wore a dark red army general suit with long black hair that reached his middle back. His name was Mui. "Listen up, you are all here because you are deemed a danger and nuisance to society and more worthless than the dirt beneath my boots. You may do as you please since you will have free time but you will all be forced to work in mines beneath the prison for the benefit of Kusagakure. You are all criminals and will be treated as such, you will have a chakra suppressant seal placed on you to prohibit any attempts of escape."

Naruto was starting to panic again. '_I cant stay here, I don't belong here, I am NOT staying here.' _"I should not be here I was made out to seem like a criminal when I was trying to help my friend and village. I am not a criminal, I don't belong here!" Mui didn't even spare him a glance and without a seconds hesitation went through hand seals and said "Fire release: Heavenly Prison" and struck him in the chest and sent him flying against the gate and hit his head causing him to lose consciousness. Before he did he felt a burning feeling around his neck and torso and screamed out in pain. Everything went black again.

* * *

When he regained consciousness again he thought '_just fan-freaking-tastic I might as well have a concussion.' _The pain coming from his head was intense and wasn't going to die down anytime soon. "Fuck this" he hissed, he sat up only to find himself on a hard cold piece of metal with a very thin mattress on top.

"You're finally up' said a deep husky voice. He looked up to see a well-built man in a gray prison clothes that kind of looked like scrubs sitting across the room casually on his bed with his leg hanging over the edge of the bed his other leg bent close to him and his elbow on his knee with a book in the other hand. He was staring at Naruto above his book he had brown eyes and black hair that was swept back and a diagonal scar that started above his eyebrow and continued until it was next to his nose. He was pretty intimidating.

"Who the hell are you and where am I?"

"You are in your prison cell, had to be carried in unconscious after your little outburst in the courtyard. Caused quite the spectacle" he said with an amused chuckle. As if really seeing him for the first time he asked with curiosity "how old are you blondie?"

"Twelve" his eyes grew slightly bigger as if in surprise. "Damn what did you do massacre an entire village? it's hard for someone your age to get in here."

Naruto was getting agitated "No."

"Then why are you in here" his cell mate asked.

"You didn't answer the second question, answer me first" he said with annoyance in his voice. His cell mate looked at him as if studying him. "Alright then they call me The Black Wolf, name's Rome though kid, whats yours?"

"N-" but before he could answer his stomach decided to make whale noises. His face went red from embarrassment. Rome started laughing.

"I'll take you to the cafeteria…" and looked at him expectantly.

"Naruto" he said with his trademark sheepish smile and scratching the back of his head with his hand.

"What a…unique name."

"Hhmmph" was Naruto's response and then crossed his arms over his chest.

Their cell was open so they walked out and into the cafeteria. As soon as they walked in people would stare at Naruto with curiosity, shift their gaze to Rome then look down in a hurry. '_Why are they staring at us like that?_'

They got in line and then he noticed with a scowl on his face what they served, it all looked like globs and watery messes. "Uhh, what is this?" he asked the lady who just looked at him and then ignored him. "You'll get used to it" Rome said.

They walked over to a table by the window and Rome looked at his plate and Naruto decided that the only edible thing that he could eat was the apple and the cornbread."I would kill for some ramen right now."

This got Rome's attention "well did ya?" Naruto could tell by his tone that he was messing with him but simply said "no."

"Well then why you here, kid?"

"I'll say if you tell me why you're here too" Rome thought this over "fine, you start."

'_Might as well tell him there's no point he might become my friend' "_I had this friend his name was Sasuke and his older brother killed his family and left him alive, and alone. Sasuke vowed to kill him and began to search out power but decided to go after someone, do you know Orochimaru?"

"Yea he's one of the three Sannin, heard...unpleasant stuff about him." Rome then reached over and stole his cornbread which brought an annoyed scowl to his face. Rome ignored it and simply said "continue."

"...Well he went after him and I promised my fri-teammate Sakura to bring him back and he tried to kill me and he got the upper hand and knocked me out and when I went back to my village was accused of trying to murder him without consent and property damage. I was told I was a threat and I was hated in my village. I never really had a chance, so yea….." he felt slightly better saying it out loud. He sighed, he said it all without breathing, "your turn."

"Alright then, mines not as bad though. I am here since I ran a drug ring, I'm a drug 'lord' as they would say it and operated on the black market, was eventually caught and turned in by my greedy bastard of a brother."

"Must have not been a very good drug 'lord' if you were brought down" Naruto he said air quotes and a playful smirk.

"You know what Naruto, I like you. I'll take you under my wing because lets face it you're pretty much a sitting duck with these perverts lurking around and you remind me of myself at your age."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a preposition for you, I help you, you help me"

"With what" Naruto didn't like what he was hearing and was on edge.

"I give you protection and immunity here, and you do a couple of 'underground things' for me, lets head back to the cell so I can explain."

Something about this was setting off alarms in his head, Rome was being too nice he was going too much out of his way.

When they got back Rome leaned in close and whispered "I am still in all technicality a drug 'lord' I run my operations underground and would like you to help me, its not often I invite someone into my inner circle and lets face it, this isn't some fancy social gathering of people, we're all here for a reason, you're practically defenseless here against all the other prisoners and you will be targeted because you are young and you are innocent. People around here don't fuck with me so you'll be safe you're the youngest one here out of ALL of us."

It took awhile but after staring at his face and blinking a couple of times the reality of the situation hit Naruto like a kunai in the thigh. _'They left me here alone, in prison. I cant go back home ever, how am I going to survive here.' _He WAS the youngest he WAS defenseless. The sound of getting involved was something that gave him a cold sweat and cold hands.

Rome then reached under his mattress and lifted a false bottom of the bed frame and pulled out little blue pills. "If that's not enough, you also have access to these." Naruto would never take drugs, they were for those who couldn't deal, ninja who were found to have addictions were disgraced and deemed useless and weak.

"You can have some but if you get hooked you buy them and if they interfere with my business then I handle you personally" Rome said with seriousness and a stare that seemed to look right through his soul.

Naruto liked Rome he was nicer than most people, most people he met either wanted to kill him on the spot, hated him, or ridiculed him. He didn't want to be alone either. Everyone would look down on him more than they already did of they found out he would even consider this. '_But you're not in Konoha and you'll never ever take any.'_

"Ill do it."

Rome smiled a real smile and said "ok then I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you if you hadn't accepted.'

Naruto looked at him and said "why are you doing this, what have I ever done for you?"

"I told you Naruto, you remind me of a younger version of myself only you know better looking" he smirked "I needed guidance and never got it, if I can help you with what little I have to offer than I want you to help others the way I've helped you."

Naruto looked dumbstruck and just blinked. Rome started walking down the hallway with a towel. Then Naruto got up and went and poked his head around his cell to see Rome walking away and said "wait, what?"

He smiled an amused smile and told him "I'm heading over to the showers I'll take you with me that's when you're most vulnerable and you don't know where they are do you?"

Naruto shook his head no and felt a cold fear run through him at the mention of the showers.

When they arrived at the showers there was steam everywhere clouding up everything it was an open area almost like a large cubicle with showers attached to the walls. Naruto stripped and felt uncomfortable being so bare and exposed; he didn't like this at all. _'Just in and out, simple as that, get a grip Uzumaki.' _

"Don't worry you'll get used to it."

They both stepped in and Naruto refused to look anywhere else besides right in front of him. The only good thing so far about this place was that it had hot water. Suddenly Naruto felt an arm grab his shoulder and push him back. He was spun around to find a guy a foot and a half taller than him with a hungry look in his eyes that sent off red alerts in his brain. Naruto was frozen in place with fear."Hows it going blondie?" he said with a wink.

The man was about to reach out to grab him again but Naruto's survival instincts kicked in and he grabbed his hand and punched him in the stomach.

Naruto then heard Rome say "don't come after him, or not I'll have your head and you will deal with me personally." With that the man had fear on his face and ran out of the showers.

"See like I said immunity and protection, let's go back its almost lights out"

The bells rang which signified lights out but Naruto was wide awake.

"Night Naruto"

"Goodnight Rome" he whispered. He tried sleeping but sleep wouldn't come. When he realized the potential outcome of what could have happened in the showers he began shaking. '_I'm safe Rome will protect me, I'm safe all I have to do in return is some underground drug related things' _Naruto sighed '_Ill be fine.'_


	3. A Slap of Reality

**AN:** I don't own Naruto, but then again you don't either, ha! Lets be sad about it together?

**A Slap of Reality**

"Why was Naruto sent to prison its unnecessary and harsh" Ino asked the Godaime Hokage. The Konoha 10, previously 12 were all present at Tsunade's office along with everyone that cared for Naruto. She looked around and saw how depressed everyone was especially Kakashi, Sakura, Hinata, and Iruka, they had taken it the hardest. After hearing that Kakashi's and Sakura's testimonies were used to convict their blonde headed friend everyone ignored them. The tension in the room was nearly palpable.

Ino never really thought much of Naruto before the academy. He earned her respect through everything he did for the village and he considered her a friend so she considered him a friend, she would never admit it to his face though. They were never really close but she knew he didn't deserve it and she felt awful and depressed. She had stayed with Sakura while she vented after she ran from the gate. Ino had been proud of her, she cleaned herself up, vowing to get Sasuke back and was going to apologize to Naruto the next day, but that opportunity never came.

When Danzo had announced that he was sent to prison the look on Sakura's face broke Ino's heart. She crumpled to the floor and completely lost it in the middle of the street. Ino had to drag her back to get house and she hadn't left until being told to come to the meeting Tsunade had called.

Tsunade placing the sake bottle she took a drink from on her desk snapped Ino back to reality. "There was nothing I could do my hands were tied, the council overruled me. I tried, I tried so hard-" her voice cracked.

"I offered revoking his ninja license, open banishment with Jiraya keeping tabs on him but they thought he would betray the Leaf and become a threat. They said prison was the only option and they hated him from the start so they sprang on the idea of sending him away regardless of what he did was right or wrong. She paused. "He was completely defenseless, he had no way of getting out of it, I couldn't help him." Her voice cracked again and she was now staring out the window with her back to them, sake bottle in hand.

The silence in the room afterwards was like a thick balnket that settled over the room. Kiba was so angry his hands clenched and looking down. He turned his head to Sakura and Kakashi and said "why did you give them testimonies when you knew it wouldn't help at all." Everyone could tell he was seething even though he wasn't screaming which was uncharacteristic of their usual loud friend.

Kakashi looked at him evenly in his eyes and said "I was asked to retell what I saw and I knew I couldn't lie there were other testimonies besides mine and they made it seem like I was against Naruto when that wasn't true." Kiba calmed down when he saw regret cross his eyes and a spaced out look on his face. He knew that was all he would say on the subject.

At that moment Sakura burst into tears again and said "I was still angry when they asked me and I said some bad things but they kept putting words in my mouth. They only asked questions to make it seem like he was at fault and never let me explain myself." She began sobbing hysterically again.

The surprises kept coming when Tenten who had been quiet during the whole conversation hissed "you did this." She began walking towards Sakura with anger in her eyes and then Neji shot up to prevent her from lunging at Sakura. Neji was still injured and he winced in pain at the quick movement. Rock Lee, Kiba, Choji, and Neji were told when they woke up in the ICU and none of them took the news well.

For the first time in his life Lee was quiet with a defeated look on his face. Choji wouldn't eat, Kiba was angry, and Neji was more quiet and antisocial then before.

Tenten was so mad she was shaking. She and Naruto were in the orphanage together and were closer than most people knew. She had been sad to leave Naruto when she got adopted and they had drifted apart afterwards. After the academy they started talking again and hanging out. But between missions and working in her parents shop there wasn't enough time to hangout as they wanted but over time she began to see him as a brother. An annoying brother, but one nonetheless.

"Enough" Tsunade roared. That was enough for everyone to jump in surprise. "What's done is done, there is no way to reverse it so we must come to terms with it. I wanted you all to come here to clear the air about what really happened."

"Why did the council hate Naruto so much?" Shikamaru asked looking her with a serious glance. He had never been able to figure it out and it always burned a hole in him, nagging him in the back of his mind. '_The villagers hate him, but never say why. All our parents never told us anything but to just stay away from him because he's nothing but trouble. Even if he was a prankster it's not enough for the villagers to dislike him the way they do.'_

Tsunade wasn't sure what to say these were the people he held closest to him. She knew him coming back was impossible and the very thought caused a lump to form in her throat. So she decided to tell. '_They deserve to know.'_

"Very well this is an S-Class secret within the village and after I tell you due to the Third's Law if you tell anyone you will be executed, I hope this does not change your opinion of him, are we clear?" She said with total authority in her voice. Everyone in the room nodded.

"The reason the council hates Naruto so much is because he is the jinnchuuriki for the Kyuubi no Kitsune." Everyone looked like they were holding in their breath so she continued. "When the Kyuubi went on a rampage through Konoha the Fourth had no choice but to seal it seeing as that no demon can ever be killed. The Kyuubi along with the other bijuu are simply chakra manifestations made from the hatred and malice in this world. That being said and since they are immortal and they have to be sealed inside a newborn child because their chakra coils are not fully developed so they can adapt and make the best containers. And the newborn child in this case was Naruto. Everyone lost someone on that day and that is why Naruto has always been treated badly. The older generations believe that Naruto is evil and has bad intentions towards the village because he is the container so they jump on any and every opportunity to make him suffer because they think he made them suffer."

The room was deathly quiet so Tsunade decided to speak up again. "I have stuff to do, get the hell out of my office."

* * *

'Click, click, click' the metal of the pickaxes the prisoners used banged against the walls of the mines they were forced to work in. The monotonous feeling of the atmosphere was enough to suck the energy out of you and leave you dry. This was the exact situation Naruto found himself in, the work was hard and everything around him so dull, this was his own specially designed hell. The labor was hard and he was sore everyday but the fox always healed him do it wasn't nearly as bad for him as it was for the rest. They wore no form of protection and the air was filled with debris and soot that they were all forced to breathe in. The possibility of dying in the mines was very real and it didn't help that they were unstable and many collapsed on a regular basis.

The only time he was alert or felt any other type of feeling was when he 'worked', but that was mostly nervous adrenaline or when he hung out with Rome. Rome worked by supplying the prison with the little blue pills known in here as Oxy. Rome has provided him with a lifeline and he was glad he took it.

Rome was brutal with those who didn't pay or disrespected him or his inner circle. Naruto never saw Rome do anything but the rumors always circulated around, he was happy Rome was there. He could always talk to him about little things and sometimes when he was really angry he would vent to him about Konoha. But Naruto rarely let it get that far he was always in control. He was like an older brother that he could rely on it wasn't a whole lot, but to him it made a difference.

Though Naruto was in his inner circle he hadn't met anyone else in his inner circle and Rome said that he only could when he got 'promoted.'

Naruto's job consisted of delivering drugs person to person and getting people involved to spread Rome's network. In prison there were no shortages of those who wanted Oxy. According to Rome business was booming which was good because Naruto got paid generously and he pigged out on ramen with his first paycheck.

Sometimes his job was scary but he got used to it, you begin to slowly desensitize yourself from the stuff that goes on around you. When he met with addicts was the worst their deprived faces taunt and ghost like. Their skin unnaturally pale and they were always sweaty. The crazed hunger in their eyes always reminded Naruto why he would never try those little blue pills.

Sometimes they tried to grab him and steal the drugs off of him and sometimes the really deprived ones jumped him wanting more than just drugs. Those were always the worst. He had been working out with Rome to increase his muscles to make sure nothing like that ever happened to him.

Rome was always very protective of Naruto and a lot of times his relationship with Rome was the only thing that kept him sane. He was earning his trust rather quickly and Rome told him his promotion would come soon if he kept it up.

**6 Months Later**

"I think its time you got promoted Naruto, you have my complete trust, I know I've got yours, are you ready?"

"Yea sure" something about Rome was off '_he hesitated.'_ Since their initial agreement Rome had been teaching Naruto ways to read people better and be more observant since druggies weren't the most honest people and lying came quite easy and Naruto was rather dense sometimes. He also taught him more about stealth and how to maneuver around people to be unnoticed. He taught Naruto the importance of not being a loud mouth and thinking before speaking which was something the blonde never thought twice about.

Naruto had grown an inch since Rome had been forcing him to eat something other than ramen which was a difficult habit to wean Naruto off but he eventually did. He had lean muscle which was slightly noticeable since the prison jumpsuits were short sleeved. His hair slightly longer but not very noticeable, if anything he looked better now than when he originally came.

"Whats the promotion consist of?" Naruto asked.

"Well you're being taken off your routes, you will assist me with more personal clientele, you will also meet the rest of my team and I will teach you more things that will surely interest you."

This sparked Naruto's curiosity "Like what?"

"You'll see and knowing you, you'll love it."

"Ok then, when do I start?"

"Right now."


	4. This Wasn't in the Job Description

**AN:** I don't own Naruto but if and when I do there will be unicorns farting rainbows and pizza will make you skinny.

Thanks for the reviews so far im happy that you guys like it! That makes me really happy im grinning like an idiot by myself so WOOOOOH! Just btw: I am always 1 chapter ahead so I try to get it on my computer and upload the next day.

**This Wasn't in the Job Description**

Naruto found himself in a corner of the prison inside a cell in disarray, pillows on the floor and poorly hidden needles lying around. Naruto and Rome's cell was spotless compared to this. Rome was welcomed in by a man who Naruto could tell was completely addicted.

His hair was greasy and stringy and plastered to his face, he was visibly sweating. _'Should be careful around this guy…'_ He seemed to be about 50 years old but couldn't be sure due to the drugs effect and was scary skinny. He seemed very nervous and fidgeted a lot. "Do you have them Wolf?"

All his clientele referred to him as Wolf. Only his friends were allowed to call him Rome none of his clients knew his real name. "I told you it doesn't work that way, you don't beg for more once you're in debt with me. You've avoided me long enough I have been very generous but you can only push someone so far, Dan."

"Please I will give it to you once I have it. I need it, I need it." The desperation in his voice scared Naruto. Then the addict lunged at Rome and tried to wrestle him for the drugs. Naruto was beginning to panic, this was his first run. He was about to help Rome when Rome put his hand out and said "stand down."

Rome kicked him into a wall and he screamed in pain, and shouted for help. The prison guards never came they were brutal like that. Rome then went through a blur of hand signals and said "Fist of Power jutsu." Then a large blue fist came out of him and pinned the man to the wall squeezing him simultaneously. Rome then came up to the man and pulled out a kunai he had hidden in his prison suit and without a word chopped two of his fingers off.

"Don't fuck with me, where is my money." The man was blubbering like a fool, pain etched into his already ghastly face. "I don't, I don't have it."

As if working as a trigger Rome stabbed the man in the stomach and he was howling in pain. He proceeded to then grab him by his neck and cut him across the face. His screams fueled the fire and Rome began beat the man. His screams fueled the fire, Rome swung his chakra enhanced kunai again only this time at the man's neck. When he finished he backed away with a completely calm expression on his features. The only evidence of his previous scuffle was the blood that dyed his jumpsuit black. The man was slumped down and didn't move again.

"Lets go" he said with impassiveness in his voice. Naruto had seen many people be killed, seeing that he was a ninja, but ever with that much brutality. Ninjas killed swiftly and quickly and even when they were forced to fight it was never that ruthless. It shook him and his heart was pounding, he could hear it in his ears. He was trying hard not to freak the fuck out. '_What just happened, this wasn't supposed to happen.' _He never wanted to get on his bad side. Ever.

In the cafeteria after Rome disposed of the evidence and walking in complete silence he said, "I apologize for you having to see that for the first time you went with me. But you better get used to it this is the job and I expect a certain amount of professionalism from my workers."

He saw Naruto's nervousness and fear and went over and sat next to him. "Look, I know its hard but it'll get better I promise and it often doesn't come to that." He had a serious look in his eye.

Naruto didn't say anything. '_This is worse than my previous 'job'.' _He felt a clawing sense of entrapment and forced it down.

"Why did you do that, you didn't need to kill him."

"I'm very nice with people but when people take advantage I need to show them who's in charge and he already had several strikes against him." This didn't make Naruto feel any better.

He looked up and saw two other people walking over to their table. One was slightly smaller with dirty blond hair and grey eyes and the other tanner with red hair and brown eyes.

"Naruto I would like to introduce you to my friends in my inner circle. I don't trust many. This is Hawk" he gestured to the red hair. "This is Dai" and gestured to the blonde. "This is Naruto, guys."

"We've heard a lot about you Naruto, bout time we finally met" said the red haired one.

"Yea about time we did."

Naruto found out a lot about them Dai was brought down with Rome and Hawk was in for serial robberies and arson. Dai was more serious and quiet. He was really sarcastic. Hawk was the complete opposite; he was loud but not loud enough to attract unnecessary attention. He was very talkative and would not seem to shut up, in a lot of ways he was like Naruto.

Naruto really hit it off with them, he was happy to have others to talk to. He really hit it off with Hawk and forgot about the previous incident for awhile. They spent their lunch discussing which affinity was the best.

"You're completely wrong wind is the best, I could slice you at any second with something that is essential for you to live. You're completely surrounded by something that could kill you at any time." Naruto argued a tick mark forming on his forehead.

"No Whiskers that's where you're mistaken, fire is the best I can burn your face off without even breaking a sweat. Fire is essential for surviving anywhere, it always wins, AND its completely kick-ass. Case closed, I win." Hawk said slamming his hands on the table with a tick mark forming on his head also.

They were locked in an intense glaring contest, irritation on both their faces. They were inching closer together across the table staring each other down hoping one would back down. What they didn't notice was the silent communication going on between Dai and Rome. They nodded to each other and pushed Hawk and Naruto into each other causing their foreheads to clash and both to hang over their seats off the table in pain while Dai and Rome roared with laughter.

Hawk then shot a death look at Dai and Dai said "its not every day an opportunity like that arises, I saw the chance and I took it. Can you really blame me." The annoyance on his face was enough for Dai to start chuckling again.

"I swear I will hit you with a chakra enhanced fist if you do that again. Whiskers got a really hard head."

"I do not, you might as well have bricks inside of there instead of a brain, you would probably use them more than you use your brain anyways." He said purposely trying to tick him off again. '_Oh wait, chakra enhanced fist, I remember Rome using a jutsu, but I thought everyone had seals placed on them.'_

"Hey Rome" he whispered "how can you use chakra if you have the seals placed on you? Do you have seals placed on you?"

"Yes Naruto we do." Dai spoke up "I've found a loophole in the seal which allows us to use chakra."

"How!? Can you show me?" '_I might be able to use chakra!' _He felt Romes hand clamp down on his shoulder "this is one of the perks of your promotion" and with that Naruto felt a big grin cross his face. _'I barely have anything anymore if I can get my chakra back I'm taking that chance.'_

"How can you do it though?"

Dai spoke up again "we use nature chakra, the seal only prohibits the usage of one's own personally produced chakra. Using nature energy allows the person to grab the energy from their surroundings and use it as chakra. Since its not made by the person it can be used by merely tapping into your surroundings rather than producing chakra." To the sometimes dense Naruto this made sense. "That's genius when can I learn and why don't people use it?" he asked.

"Using nature chakra is incredibly difficult you have to be one with your surroundings to be able to use it, and most people don't realize this loophole and we like to keep it that way." Dai narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"Ok I understand, when can I start?" he looked to Rome.

"Whenever you want." '_This is going to be awesome.'_

They got up and walked towards the gyms. In prison money can get you a lot of things food, furniture and in Dai's case a private section in the back of the gym. It was closed off from the rest giving them some privacy. As long as what they got wasn't suspicious the prison could care less about it.

It was lit better than most of the prison, torches were the main source of light along the hallways but this place had light bulbs. It was always a little hard for Naruto's eyes to get adjusted to the harshness of the light even if he had been in here before. It was gray but unlike the rest of the gyms Dai paid to make it more welcoming. It had padded floors but the ground was still uncomfortable, machines, and punching bags were spread across the room. He liked this place a lot it was private. In prison little things like that should not be taken for granted.

"Time for your first lesson, due to the nature energy requiring the user to become one with nature, you will meditate." Dai said his voice bouncing off the walls.

"WHAT meditation! I suck at meditating its so boring!"

"You want to learn how to use it? Well you gotta take this seriously."

"Fine. Ill do it."

"Damn straight, we all had to go through it you'll do it, HA!" Hawk said.

Giving Hawk a side glance Dai said "yes we'll give you some peace and quiet, we'll be back in two and a half hours."

"That's a lot of time don't ya think?"

"Nope, we'll come back and check in on your progress and Naruto FOCUS, ok? Rome said.

"Yea, yea I got this." They turned around and left Naruto mumbling under his breath about stupid people being named after animals and mediation sucking.

'_Ok meditation sounds easy enough, all I have to do is breathe in, out , in ,out ok this should be ok.'_

**1.5 minutes later**…

'_What was that noise?'_ he sighed. _'Man Im hungry, I could go for some ramen, no stop focus, Uzumaki FOCUS.'_

**20 seconds later**…

'_This floor is so uncomfortable, and cold, and hard.'_ As you can imagine Naruto had the attention span of a squirrel distracted by a shiny object when it didn't matter. He spent all of his time being distracted. This was no shock to them when they walked in after the two and a half hours to find Naruto sleeping on the floor.

"NARUTO" Hawk yelled.

"Haaa…wha?" he said with surprise.

"You weren't supposed to fall asleep. As punishment you have to spend another 6 hours meditating without food, until lights out. If I find out you fell asleep again I will watch you meditate and force you to do my work in the mines' Rome said.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! Meditating is so hard I can't do it and I just kinda fell asleep by accident…hehe" he said with his hand scratching behind his head.

"Nope too late. I am serious about this Naruto this is for your own protection for when you come on more runs with me." He spoke with narrowed eyes.

"To be able to do this correctly you have to relax, tune everything out, forget about what bothers you, let your mind wander but focus on your environment and feeling the energy that comes from it. Try again" Dai said.

Without listening to Naruto's angered protests they left the gym and locked him inside. '_Stupid meditating and stupid Rome and Hawk and Dai. Stupid everything.'_

They left Naruto to his meditating and turn the lights off when they left. '_Fuck.'_


	5. The Broken Promise

**AN:** Naruto is not mine. Period. Done. Don't rub it in. BUT I do own an annoying cat that is planning the death of me and the downfall of humanity as we speak, wanna trade?

**The Broken Promise**

'_Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. She's going to punch me through a wall.'_ A panicked Sakura Haruno ran through the streets towards the Hokage Tower. She had woken up late when her alarm clock failed to go off. She sped through nearly knocking coffee out of some assistant's hands. "Sorry."

When she got to Tsunade's office she bolted past the black haired assistant who had a pig laying on her desk "Shizune" Sakura said.

"Wait! Don't go in yet Tsunade's-" but ignoring her Sakura barged into her office and said "Tsunade-sama Im here." To her slight annoyance and happiness she found Tsunade hungover and asleep on her desk. She was ten minutes late.

"Hhaaa?..." she looked up dazed and confused with a report stuck to her head.

Sakura was now Tsunade's apprentice, Sakura begged her to mentor her but was reluctant at first due to Naruto's imprisonment and her given testimony. After several weeks, gift baskets of sake and kissing up to her she finally agreed. After he was sent away everyone had left the Hokage be for 4 months knowing that she viewed him as a younger brother. During that time period she could barely function and was angrier than usual. She was drunk almost all the time and inconsolable when she cried. He was the only reason she decided to come back in the first place. Had she not been Hokage she would have left the Leaf six months ago.

Two months ago was when she began asking her. When asked why she wanted the Hokage to mentor her she was honest; she needed to get stronger. She knew Naruto would never break a promise to her intentionally or hurt her. She made a promise to herself not only to get Sasuke back because they all had a bond with each other but to get Naruto back too, someway, she had to make it up to him. When Tsunade heard her reasons she was not happy, she was partially the reason this happened, but she understood.

She had messed up, she made him feel like crap and even though he was annoying and loud she never wanted anything bad to happen to him. She had grown attached to their little misfit team, even though they had their own struggles they all knew they were a family, dysfunctional, but still a family.

"Today I'm very busy, I have meetings all day so I want you to spend the day at the hospital helping around, get a more hands on experience." She mumbled then proceeded to take a swig of sake that was next to her. "You are dismissed."

Even though she was drunk a good portion of her free time she taught her a lot. This week alone she had loaded her with so much work and Sakura was happy to lose herself in it.

She had vowed that she would get Sasuke and Naruto back she didn't like having too much free time. Free time gives you time to think, and if she did it was about her absent teammates. She always broke down when she thought of them. Most days she would think of them, the tears long gone but the pain still stabbing her.

Since his absence the Konoha 10 made promises to themselves to get stronger, for Naruto. Though it was unspoken he had a lot of influence over them and he always had done what his heart told him and what he thought was right. He always protected Konoha. They imprinted that memory of the blonde loudmouth in them, and chose to keep that version of him. To think of him becoming anything else than what they remembered him as was too painful. They preferred this alternative than the idea of him becoming a cold hearted prisoner.

Sakura left Tsunade's office making her way to the hospital. It was hectic much more than most days. "What's going on?" she asked an orderly.

"Two squads of Anbu were injured on a mission sent to Oto. There were traps and they got caught in the crossfires. Three are in the ICU."

"Ok thanks" he shoved a clipboard into her hands. "Here you go, were shorthanded on staff today, prepare yourself it going to be a long day." Sakura sighed "yea thanks, bye."

She walked into room 205 and pulled back the curtains and stopped in her spot when she saw who was sitting on the bed. He was staring up at the ceiling and looked surprised when he saw her.

"Sakura…"

"Kaskashi-sensei! What are you doing here?" she hadn't seen him in six months. Shortly after the departure of her two teammates he returned to the Anbu. She hadn't spoken to him since then, it was incredibly awkward. When she saw him her guilt resurfaced right beneath the surface. He got over is initial shock quick.

"I was in one of the squads that got caught in the crossfire of the traps."

"Let me run a quick diagnostic test, ok?"

"Yea go ahead" her hands glowed that healing green. The silence hung so heavy in the air. She wanted to talk to him and tell him she was planning on getting them back some way or another. She wanted to so bad.

"So…..how have you been? I see they have you running around the hospital."

"Yeas it keeps me busy, Tsunade-sama took me on as her apprentice."

"Yea I heard, that's…..great I'm glad you have someone as skilled as the Hokage to teach you."

"Yea I know I am and I'm so grateful she would take me on at all after…." she decided it was best to not finish that sentence. '_Shut up Sakura!'_

"Well Kakashi-sensei you've got second degree burns on your arms and chest, a fractured wrist and two broken ribs. "You've got pretty bad injuries what were you doing anyway?"

"We were investigating Oto and trying to leave after infiltrating the village we missed some traps hidden in the trees. We were being chased so we had no choice but to leave in a hurry. I was carrying an injured teammate when they went off and I fell off a branch and fell to the ground and landed on my side to cushion the blow, so I ended up here."

It was nagging at her to tell him so without thinking she blurted out "Im going to bring them back, both of them. If it's the last thing I do." Kakashi opened his mouth but was cut off by Sakura.

"Listen, just here me out. I know how you feel I feel the same way too I know the guilt and the regret, but that's not going to help. Im going to get stronger and do something, I was always the weakest in the group, not anymore. I can't go on with my life without getting them back, even if they hate me for it I can't do this alone, I can't hide my emotions, I can't and I'm scared I'm going to fail and sometimes…..the walls feel like they're closing in and I can't breathe. This is so hard and-" she had stopped rambling and started crying again and was sitting on the bed.

Kakashi was never the affectionate type but Skaura had just been brutally honest with him, so he hugged her. "I'll help you I messed up here too, you know." She started crying more when she heard he would help. "I care about them too." He wouldn't say it but they were in the same exact positons, they dove into work and used it as an outlet. They felt the same feeling of depression, despair, and guilt. He had been selfish, he had left Sakura alone when she needed him. She couldn't deal with something like this like he could and losing someone was something she wasn't used to. He was going to help her, he wanted his team back too.

* * *

"WHY CANT I DO THIS?" Naruto screamed. He kicked a nearby punching back in frustration.

"You need to have a clear mind, be completely at peace, let nothing bother you. When you're under stress it gets harder." Dai said as he lifted weights on the other side of the room.

"You and I both know what's bothering you, Naruto, you never talk about it and when you do you're always mad." Naruto just kicked the punching bag again, they all knew about how he got here and he refused to talk about the giant leaf printed elephant in the room.

"Konoha" Rome said.

"Go ahead vent, Whiskers, it's the only way you can do this you have to be able to use nature chakra." Hawk said then he began provoking him.

"Aren't you mad? I would be if I was helping a 'friend' and everyone was against me. Hated me. Ostracized me" he laughed. "Hell I would be livid with rage and hurt that they betrayed me."

Naruto didn't say anything but it was clear Hawk's words got to him, his fists were clenched. Then he released them and stared at his hands. '_Why does it always have to be me.'_

"...I gave them everything. I brought the Hokage back, saved their asses several times from enemies against the village, and yet….they never once did they thank me. They were relentless, they treated me like crap all my life." He began hitting the punching bag.

"I tried so hard to earn their respect, but I was never good enough, the dirt beneath their arrogant feet was more valuable. I would have died protecting that village. It's not _fair_ I was always the monster, the annoyance when all I wanted to know was that I belonged, had a place there." His assault in the punching bag becoming more violent.

Hawk said "doesn't it make you angry? The sense of injustice, the way they stand on their pedestals and look down on you?"

"Hawk…" Dai said. "He needs to hear it, he already knows it whether he acknowledges it or not, saying it out loud will make him feel so much better."

That was all it took and Naruto snapped. He was a flurry of hits and kicks. Tears coming to his eyes, and screaming screams of frustration.

"To Sakura I was always the annoyance. The one who tried to get in her way, make everything hard for _her._ I could never to anything right in her eyes. Kakashi never taught me shit. He always worried about Sasuke and teaching him. He had obvious favorites. Sasuke had everything, people who cared, was a _prized_ _genius_ and _prodigy_, always had a spot in a village no matter what he did. He considered me his **best friend** and he tried to **kill me **for a stupid eye and revenge."

He was crying for the first time in six months and they saw he was crying. He had been hitting the punching bag relentlessly for a long time and when he finished he fell ungracefully on his butt. He was breathing hard, tears streaking his whiskered cheeks and clouding his vison.

Rome came over and sat next to him working damage control. Dai and Hawk had stopped lifting their weights long ago.

"He's doing it for all the wrong reasons; seeking power, and it's going to come back and bite him in the ass. It never works, but if you fight for those you care about, those who matter, and those who help you, you will never have regrets, _that_ is real power. Revenge and hatred is for the weak and pitiful, it takes a strong person to finally drop it and forgive those that wrong him. Why do you think its so hard? Nothing in this world that is worth the trouble or effort will ever be easy. Do this more for you than them, you can forgive but never forget. Just because you give forgiveness doesn't mean you think its ok. You need to move on,….hanging on to the past kills you…"

"Think about what I'm saying." He placed a hand on his shoulder. Naruto was staring at him still crying.

'_I feel…better, like I'm so much lighter, maybe I needed that.'_

"Clean yourself up and try again, ok?" Rome said. "I told you, you needed that Whiskers" Hawk said with a proud grin on his face. Naruto nodded he was feeling better already, that was exactly what he needed.


	6. I Raise You a Jellybean

**AN:** I did not realize I was actually getting followers until I checked and it blew my mothertrucking socks off. I don't own Naruto but it's finally Friday and I'm just so happy, the skies have opened up and sunshine is pouring down on me. If I could I would make it rain glitter and confetti.

Side Note- I'm sorry about sectioning, I will fix it. It showed up on Word and I assumed that I would on the site but I never checked,…hehe.

**I Raise You a Jellybean**

"Come on think it through, you have to look for openings in their stance." Rome and Naruto were sparring. Even though they used ninjutsu they primarily used taijutsu and relied heavily on it, most ninjutsu was too destructive. It also attracted less attention. Naruto discovered from his lessons that he completely sucked at taijutsu, his form sucked. Rome had been showing Naruto how to improve his taijutsu since he considered it a requirement of his new job. Being a ninja, but not a formal one Rome's style of taijutsu was a mix of street fighting and traditional, which was something he had not seen before. He had focused heavily on teaching him taijutsu since he figured out how to use nature energy as chakra two weeks ago.

**2 weeks ago**

"Na-"

"Shh, I think…"

"Both of you shut up, I think he's got it." Hawk yelled in a whisper. The whiskered boy sat in lotus position in complete silence and utter concentration. Though they couldn't see it they could feel a shift in the air. There was more energy in the air. A lively feeling filled the gym, it was like the air particles were buzzing with life.

The familiar feeling of chakra circulating in his body only mean one thing. Blue eyes opened filled with happiness. "YEA! I FINALLY FREAKING GOT IT!" He manifested chakra into his fist, it glowing blue and pumped his fist in the air in a victorious gesture. He was jumping in triumph and didn't realize they were staring at him.

"Ok the worst part is over...Naruto…Naruto listen to me! Now you can use all your jutsus and abilities as long as you maintain your chakra reserves. If you run low on your chakra reserves you have to get it back by meditating, got it?" Rome said, thorough Naruto was not too happy about having to maintain his charka he was too happy right now. '_I finally got I' _he grinned to himself.

The unspoken tension about Konoha was what had been holding him back, though he was still hurt and angry, venting his feelings made him feel so much more….free.

"And Naruto no big, flashy or destructive jutsus, we use this for _business _protection precautions only, not to draw attention to ourselves or invite investigations" Dai added in.

"Yea, I get it. I won't do anything stupid." Rome narrowed his eyes at him expectantly.

"I promise,"

"Good."

**Now…**

He was panting and the room suddenly felt burning hot. He had been improving fast over two weeks but he could never win against Rome. He didn't even look winded. Rome punched Naruto but at the last second Naruto blocked his punch and went to yank him forward and went in to elbow him in the eye. In a flash Rome dodged and punched him in the same arm that tried to hit Rome. He punched in the crevice of his shoulder. Naruto lost his balance and Rome took the advantage to sweep his feet out from under him and extended his palm and slammed it down on Naruto's chest so he ended up on his back on the floor. Rome relaxed his stance and helped Naruto up "You're learning faster but you still need to work on some things. We should go now, I have to get my hours in at the mines, we'll finish this later" Rome said. Naruto was not happy about ending up on his back like that but listened anyway. He crossed his arms across his chest "Ugh, I hate the mines."

They all left to their stations. Naruto worked in the mines with the people he didn't know, they had no control over where they were stationed. Hawk, Dai, and Rome were stationed together deeper in the mines. Even though they were stationed deeper in the mines, their station was more stable than where Naruto worked. He had a bigger chance of getting trapped in, every once in awhile you could feel slight rumbles and rocks fell from the ceiling. He hated this part of the day the most and he was completely alone. He couldn't talk to anyone else since they were all weary of him for being associated with Rome.

He didn't like doing the monotonous work of the mines and he would always be dirty by the end of his shift and his mind always wandered. The words Rome said two weeks ago still rung clearly in his head.

"_Forgive but never forget. Just because you give forgiveness doesn't mean you think its ok…_

_Pfft, He's one to talk he's brutal with 'clients' and he holds a grudge against his brother. All they've ever done is hurt me whether they meant to or not. If they didn't mean what they did at the time they wouldn't have said it. I considered them the closest thing to family, even if they didn't obviously feel the same way._

**6 Months Ago...**_  
_

"_It's because of that, Naruto."_

"_But why I don't understand."_

"_Because you're my best friend and we have a bond to each other like no other, that's why I have to kill you. I have to avenge my family's death. I have to do this."_

_But what type of __**friend **__does that?...This is all the damn foxes fault, I'm not the fox but I'm still treated as if I'm the monster. IM THE PROBLEM. But…..if he's part of me and I'm part of him does that mean I AM the problem? No, they aren't right, they were NEVER right.'_

"UZUMAKI, GET BACK TO WORK" one of the prison guards shouted. During his internal rant he had stopped working and was staring ahead. He snapped out of it and sighed just before he went back to work.

**One year later….**

Naruto wasn't sure, Rome was looking pretty confident even with his poker face on. Naruto had already bet five hundred ryos. He looked down at his cards, he never really had good luck, well it fluctuated pretty drastically but he was really confident. He saw doubt flash across his face. "Poker face, Naruto."

"There's no shame in folding, Naruto." He placed a purple jellybean forward signifying he bet another thousand.

"Whoa, Whiskers looks like you're screwed" Hawk said obnoxiously

"He's got you now." Dai and Hawk had already lost and chose not to play another round, Rome was killer at poker.

Wordlessly Naruto pushed the jellybeans forward and bet fifteen hundred ryos. "Go." Dai placed the last card on the table, it was a 4 of diamonds.

"What do you got?" he nodded his head towards Rome, with a grin on his face he placed them all on the table. He had a 2, 5, 8 and 9 of diamonds, a straight flush. He just stared in disbelief and placed his cards down. He had a 3, 7, 10, and queen of diamonds, he also had a straight flush. He won.

"…You won?" Dai said with slight confusion.

"…I won?...HELL YES I WON ABOUT FREAKING TIME!" He jumped on top of the table and threw his cards in the air making it rain, he scooped up all the jelly beans they used as chips. He had never beaten Rome before. His poker face was fantastic and he always won.

"Yea well only this time, Naruto."

"Don't be a sore loser Rome, you're the one who taught me how to play!" He was ecstatic.

"Wanna play again?" Rome asked,

"Nope! You're crazy I just barely won I'm not going to lose what I just earned."

Life was good for Naruto, well as good as you can get in prison. He had excelled in taijutsu and was still making runs with Rome, they didn't happen every day, and someone didn't end up getting killed every time they did, but it did happen regularly. After time you begin to forget they're human just like you and Naruto had to learn the hard way to detach to get his job done. It was the only option, more times than he would like to remember he had to 'dispose' of a client. He needed his poker face for his job.

It didn't make a big difference to Rome, when he 'lost' a client another one would take their place the next day, and that's how the cycle had repeated for the past year. It wasn't all bad, Naruto's friendship with Dai and Hawk had strengthened and he was closer than ever to Rome. It was weird to say but he was strangely happy in prison, sometimes.

"Im going to bed, night, losers."

"Suck it, Whiskers."

"Goodnight, Naruto."

"I have to discuss something with Dai and Hawk", he just shrugged and left. Most of the prisoners went to the courtyard until lights out in the summer. They always sparred and the prison guards watched. They were the only ones in the cafeteria.

Naruto was walking down the hallway, smug that he had just beat Rome at his own game, jellybeans jangling happily in his pocket. He rounded the corner and walked into his cell and was caught off guard. He saw three people rummaging through their cell, they were all muscular guys who he saw at the gym almost every day. "What the hell do you th-" he was stuck in the back of the head by a fourth guys fist. He was pushed to the ground and kicked in the stomach. '_Fuck, I can't do this alone.' _Using his advantage on the floor he used his legs to fling a guy into a wall and stood up. He went through hand signs and said "Shadow Clone Jutsu" another four Narutos appeared and all hell broke loose. They were all fighting each other in an enclosed space so one of the Narutos was corned and poofed away._'Shit, I can't use Rasengan without blowing a hole through the wall.'_ Another was flung into the hallways and hit the bars of the opposite cell and disappeared. The original was fighting a big bald guy, he upper cutted him, and punched him in the stomach with a chakra enhanced fist and kicked him, sending him flying into another guy. They were all cramped together so he didn't have much mobility to fight to his full extent. He was elbowed in the face and thrown into the corner of his bed, hitting his hip and he hissed in pain.

He was about to turn around and punch him when he saw a knife for a split second, it had a glowing blue tip and in an instant it was gone. He felt the blade cut into his forearm which he used as a shield and grinded his teeth to keep in a scream upon impact. He knocked the guy's legs out from under him and started punching him hard in the face. He was dragged off by another guy and pinned down while a third guy hit him in the face. Naruto jumped up and used his legs to kick him in the thighs and knock him backwards. He head butted the guy holding him down and ignored the pain.

The room was spinning and he saw the guy with the knife come into his view and lunge at him. They fell down and wrestled for control of the knife, the guy losing control of the knife and Naruto stabbed him in the thigh. He was yanked off again by a big tanned guy with black hair. _'This guy is pissing me off.'_ Using his taijutsu skills he used his weight to push him back and used the front of his foot to knock him to the ground. Naruto elbowed him right in the eye and kicked him, making his face turn harshly up. He fell to the ground and then Naruto spun around looking for the knife and saw it in the hands of the bald guy. _'Damn it.'_

His arm was still heavily bleeding, he had cuts, and bruises all over him. Naruto began kicking and punching him repeatedly but was blocked by his knife. '_Come on think it through, you have to find an opening in his stance.' _He realized he had an opening in his stance, and at the same moment, he could tell by the look on the guys face, Naruto had an opening in his stance too. He had raised his hands to make more shadow clones and had left his stomach open. Everything moved in slow motion, but he saw the bald guy jab the knife into his stomach and Naruto doubled curling around his arm. All the Naruto clones disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

"You're too much of a liability, blondie. I must say you put up quite a challenge with your little clone trick. You understand that I have to ki-" then he was roundhouse kicked straight in the face and sent crashing to the bars. Rome was standing over him, he was never so happy to see Rome at that time. Everything was turning fuzzy, he could feel pain, it was everywhere sharp and ruthless, and it was coming in continuous waves all over. He couldn't breathe. The fox healing wasn't fast enough and he was still bleeding heavily. He slumped down against a wall and tried to focus on his breathing. He couldn't focus but could see flashes of Rome and Hawk fighting, and winning against two guys. Naruto had taken care of the other two.

They all rushed over when they saw him and he first noticed the blur of Dai rush over with worry on his face. He had never seen anyone of them panicked or worried before. He could hear snippets of conversation, drifting in and out.

"-not a good idea."

"We have to…blade broke…need…take it out."

"…gets hooked."

"…e'll watch him…"

"Look at him…lots…pain…can't be alert…"

"Fine."

He heard rustling and footsteps come over. "Naruto, I need you to take this now." Naruto could only focus long enough to see the small pill in his hands, and began shaking his head.

"Ill be fine…I…"

"This is an order, take it now, or not I'll force you."

"You don't….under…stand."

He felt hands clamp down on his face and press down on a forming bruise. He gasped in pain and felt something small in his mouth. "Swallow." He had no other option, he could barely explain himself, or the fox. _'I don't want this, no. I never want to be like them.'_ Hawk threw cold water in his face and when he opened his mouth in surprise he forced more water down his throat forcing him to swallow the little blue pill.


	7. On Cloud Nine

**AN:** I don't own Naruto, but its Saturday sooo let's get wasted and stay in and read fanfiction, yeaaay! Im so wild, right? Just kidding I'm underage but you can do that, legally that is.

Side Note- I will not upload tomorrow because I need to write more to get a head start next week, and because homework.

**On Cloud Nine**

Naruto could tell what was going on, but quite frankly, he did not give a damn, he felt great. No, he felt better than great, he felt amazing, elation, it was pure bliss. He knew it was the pills fault but he didn't care the pill was great, everything was just great. It was like a surge of energy than kept him awake, but he was also strangely relaxed, and it caused him to zone out frequently.

The Oxy was working its magic and he was present enough to know that Dai had taken out the shards of the knife. The knife had been hand made from scrap metal parts that were crudely glued together and some of the pieces came off and were left in the wound. He couldn't feel anything and zoned out, staring at the ceiling with his arms bent behind his head. The fox had already healed most of his wounds and had stopped the bleeding in his stomach.

Dai was finishing closing up the wound, he knew quite a bit about healing. He hovered his hands over his stomach and the green glow was warm and made Naruto slightly drowsy. Dai had a serious and dark personality, but in these situations he turned into the mother hen type. He first saw it nine months ago when Hawk had broken his arm during a mining shift and Naruto had been surprised because Dai and mother hens did not exactly go hand-in-hand. If Naruto ever told Dai this he would probably beat into a coma for a year.

The room had been cleaned, absolutely no evidence of the whole 'incident.' They had killed all four men and cleaned up all the blood and disposed of the bloody jumpsuits. They had taken them to the mines and used a jutsu to make the mine collapse, not something huge but small enough for them to 'die.' It was a very common way for prisoners to die so it raised no suspicion. The mines were open 24 hours so you could do your hours anytime you wanted insomniacs were the only ones there at this time so it worked out perfectly and they didn't care. For the most part everyone turned a blind eye, it was every man for himself in this place. If you ended up dead, it was considered your own fault.

Rome and Hawk walked into the cell and stared at Naruto who tried turning on his side, but was pushed back by Dai. "Stay down, I'm not done yet." He was wrapping bandages around his abdomen and forearm. Dai was also staring at him, his cerulean eyes slightly glazed, and a look in his eyes that hinted he wasn't all there at the present.

"You had us worried there for a second, Whiskers... Naruto?" He was staring at the ceiling. "Hello I'm talking to you." He snapped his fingers and that got his attention. He turned to him and had a huge, dopey smile on his face "Hey guys, Dai's putting bandages on me, what's up?", they all exchanged silent glances.

"That was quite an incident there, you held your own though, tell me, do you know who those guys were, Naruto?" Rome spoke in a serious and low tone.

"Nope not a clue, they were just kinda,…there…" he stared at the ceiling again.

"Naruto?" Dai said.

"Hhmmm…" he snapped back to reality and was smiling like a fool. "Oh yea, they were looking through our things, looking for what I assume are those." He pointed to the pills located in the false bottom of the bedframe, "they caught me by surprise and I didn't realize there was four of them and I made clones to fight them off, I couldn't do much without causing a hole in the wall though" he paused for awhile. "Who were they?"

"They were clients at one point that had figured out the loophole in the seal. They tried to get me to make them suppliers, give them unlimited access, but since they were all on it, I didn't trust them. They all made threats that they would get me back. I hadn't heard from them in a while so I assumed they found someone else to make them suppliers….guess I was wrong though." He sounded angry, which was rare for Rome. There were other dealers in prison like Rome, all selling different things. But by far Rome product sold the most popular and was purest.

Dai looked at Naruto with suspicion, they expected him to be annoyed or have any type of reaction since he was left out of the loop on the situation. Naruto wasn't one to let things go so easily, he was incredibly hard headed and stubborn.

"That's all you have to say, Whiskers? You got quite a beating, huh?" He had a spaced out look again on his face, he doubted he heard them at all.

"Tell me Naruto, how do you feel right now?"

"I feel,…great , everything is just fantastic right now." Dai heard Hawk trying to suppress a giggle. There was also something else that was nagging at him he had noticed earlier.

"Naruto?"

"Hhmm?"

"Answer me honestly,ok?"

"Sure go right ahead"

"How did you heal so quickly? You were healing at a rate that's not even human."

'_Not even human.'_ That stung. It was like they were purposely trying to kill his buzz with all their questions. He had a look of confusion on his face and was contemplating whether to tell them. _'What's the harm in telling them, they know me as Naruto not as a jinchuuriki. I trust them.'_

"Uhhhh…" ' _But if I tell them they might think differently about me.'_

"Well what is it Naruto" Rome pressed him. He took in a sharp breath "...I'm the jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi and it heals me really fast. It's the reason I was sent here without a real trial. The Leaf wanted to get rid of me since they thought I would lose control, I used the Kyuubi's chakra during the fight with Sasuke. They hated me for being the container of the demon that destroyed their village so they sent me here."

"You're the...jinchuuriki,...for the Kyuubi...?" Hawk said it in a way that sounded completely foreign like he was talking a different language.

"Yes." He swallowed, _'I shouldn't have told them...'_ He wasn't sure how they would react. He could feel this conversation killing his mood.

"What abilities does this give you?" Rome asked with curiosity as if Naruto had grown a second head. He really wasn't expecting these reactions. "I have massive chakra reserves, I heal quickly, and I have high stamina and speed." Rome's face lit up and he walked over to him, with an excited face."Do you have any idea what this means?" He was too excited for it to be good. Naruto just blinked at him for awhile and said slowly "no."

"It means we can escape."

"That's crazy, no ones ever escaped this hellhole." Hawk said in a high whisper. Dai spoke up "I agree, the seal keeps us from escaping and no ones ever tried before, the perimeters of the prison are rigged with traps and electric fences." "It sounds tempting but there's no way."

"Well, no one has ever had someone with his chakra reserves try to break out, we can do this...Are you going to let them steal **your** freedom, **our** freedom, knowing that there's hope we can escape. We can leave this place behind, we'll stay together and watch out for each other. We can get on with our **lives**." He and Hawk looked at Naruto pleadingly, he had never ever seen any of them beg before.

"Yea...I do,...I want my freedom." He wanted to leave and to deny all three of them their chance at freedom was cruel and something Naruto didn't want to do. "Lets do it."

Naruto was getting excited, he might get his chance to leave this little strip of hell and combined with the pill, he felt amazing. He was at an all time high and felt like he was soaring. He had the biggest, stupidest smile on his face and this made Rome smile.

The bell rang signaling lights out and Dai and Hawk left to their cell after their goodbyes, "we'll talk about this in the morning."

That night was hard. The effects of the pills had worn off and Naruto was left to deal with the aftermath. The wounds were healed, he was used to getting hurt. He was wide awake and he was craving another pill. He wanted that good feeling and it took a good amount of self control for Naruto not to reach over and toss Rome aside to get another pill.

There was three things holding him back. One; he saw firsthand what it had the potential to do to him; he had vowed to not take any. Two; the looks of disappointment and hurt on Dai, Hawks , and especially Rome's faces was something he didn't want to see. It had only been once, and he _**was not weak**_. They were also the ones who force fed it to him so he didn't want them to feel guilty for his lack of self-control. Three; the shame, to take another pill meant that the drugs had won, and he wouldn't be one of those disgrace of a ninja who didn't have enough will power. Even with these reasons he still found himself thinking about it. He had never felt that way before and had never known he could feel that good._ 'Go to sleep, tomorrow's going to be a long day, just one night of withdrawal, that's it, and then never take them. AGAIN. EVER. Simple enough.'_ He spent his whole night like that, tossing and turning, with every cell in his body yearning to have another hit.

* * *

"How are the plans coming along, Pain?" A blue haired woman with a blue flower in her hair walked into a dark office. She was beautiful.

"Konan, everything has proceeded as planned; all that is needed is the retrieval of the sacrifices." A deathly skinny man with long red hair and purple rippled eyes responded. He was incredibly weak and attached to machines.

"We will go after the Kyuubi first, based on my intel, the container is in Blood Prison. He should be an easy catch. If he were to lose control he would be the hardest to restrain. Once we catch the strongest the rest will fall easily. We shall go for him soon and once they are all captured the world will know true peace. They will know my name."


	8. Ashes, Ashes We All Fall Down

**AN: **I do not own Naruto and I do feel the guilt for not uploading yesterday, I broke my streak and that sucks. Anyway I making it up now, if I finish it today I might upoload another chapter later today 'o'

**Ashes, Ashes We All Fall Down**

Scruffy red hair was the first thing he saw when he woke up. He groaned when he was this. He wanted to go back to sleep for the rest of his life, that was without to saying, he felt like crap.

"GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE! How'd you sleep?"

He was not in the mood "fuck off Hawk, you ass." "Nope, not a chance in hell. I was told to come check up on you by your mother" he said and Naruto could hear the smirk on his face.  
"Why didn't Rome send Dai?" he could hear Hawk chewing and to his sensitive ears it was painful, the sound ricocheting inside his head and amplifying his headache. He was going to kill Rome. "Dai would have checked to see if you were alive, pushed you once, and if you did not wake up then wouldn't have been bothered to try again. Come on Whiskers, rise and shine, it's almost time for roll call and you haven't eaten breakfast." He was going to strangle Rome.

* * *

"You haven't eaten anything, not hungry?" Rome asked. "No" he stared daggers at Rome "why did you send Hawk you turd." He ignored Naruto's glare "I was making sure that you actually got up, and since when am I a turd?" "Just calling it like I see it." "My, aren't we agitated this morning?"

He was sitting at the table with his head facing the ground and his arms folded around his head forming a little barrier. The sounds in the cafeteria were killing him. He felt like crap, there was no better way to describe it. He was weak, nauseous, dizzy, and his mouth was dry, and his head was killing him.

Hawk was purposely trying to be annoying and an ass. He was chewing loudly, laughing louder than usual and kept talking non-stop to Naruto about random things. When he didn't respond he would just keep talking not bothering to see if he was actually listening after awhile. He always tried to go out of his way to make life hell for him, in little ways.

By far the worst instance was when he turned thirteen, and it had been the dreaded sex talk. Yes, indeed, Hawk had been the one to administer the awkward discussion about the birds and the bees to Naruto, Dai and Rome would never do it. He volunteered to enjoy make Naruto suffer. He was completely comfortable during it, going into extreme depth and laughing when he saw Naruto squirming and turn the shade of a tomato. It had been extremely scarring, he talked about positions, protection, the best way around the female anatomy, sex tips and he drew diagrams on a napkin which was the worst. But by the end Naruto had had his innocence ripped from him, and left with an eye twitch that lasted three days.

He knew his annoyance was his attempt of trying to keep his mind off the little blue pills. In all honesty, even though he felt like crap he thought it would be much worse, but then again it had only been once, and he hadn't known which dosage they'd given him. He still wanted some, his body still begging that it wanted more. There was no way in hell he would give in though, he would shut his mouth and take it, it would pass soon anyway.

It was then that Naruto remembered of what happened the night before _'it means we can escape...we can get on with our __**lives**_.' He looked up and asked "what's the escape plan?" A huge grin was plastered on Rome's face, "I thought you'd never ask. We have to go somewhere private to discuss it though." They all knew what that meant and they left the cafeteria.

The gym made Naruto's head hurt less but not by much. "Dai am I supposed to be having a headache?"

"If you're asking whether it's part of the withdrawal, then no. You got beat up, pretty bad, you hit your head plenty of times."

Rome laughed "good thing it's hard as a brick though, probably would've had a concussion." Rome roughly ruffled his hair and Naruto groaned, he hated them, he hated them all. "Can we discuss this plan now?" Rome began pacing back and forth.

"Yes, the plan,...we are going to start a prison riot, I know, I know original, right? but it works. Naruto using all your chakra, are going to concentrate it enough to put pressure on and break the seal then later on will help us break ours. At the same time the three of us are going to make clones to send in the mines and make them collapse. This is so that people assume that the collapse of the mines was caused from the riot. The timing will be in sync so that when our seals go off and break Mui will assume it was caused by our 'deaths.' He used air quotes. "From there it's just trying not to get killed by the traps on the perimeters or being caught by the guards. We leave in six days."

"Why in six days?"

"Based on outside sources the Hidden Leaf Village is having a festival in six days, security will be easy enough to get through"

* * *

As the day went on he found the cravings get stronger then slowly started to dissipate. The next five days were uneventful, and Naruto's cravings were completely gone. Today was the day, it was show time. He had been so excited, he could barely sleep.

The riot was to start at sunset, since the courtyard was open until then, it would be perfect timing. They would use the cover of night to their advantage. Before their escape Naruto had one more thing to take care of, he didn't want to go about initiating conversation with his eternal roommate but he had no choice he needed his help. He sat in his meditative position and tapped into mindscape.

It was poorly lit and lights flickering every once in awhile in a large rectangular room. It looked like a sewer and the water reached up to his mid-calf, the air was stuffy and humid and in front of him stood the massive cage with a slip on the front with the word 'seal' in kanji on it. It had been awhile since he came here. From the shadows opened a large blood red slitted eye which was bigger than Naruto.

"**Kit...I see you've come back, my guess is you need my chakra. What can't **_**fight**_** your own battles**?"

Naruto saw white pointed teeth appear in a twisted grin. He never liked coming here. Just because he was no longer scared of Kyuubi, since in reality he couldn't hurt him didn't mean his presence didn't unnerve him.

"I can fight my own battles you stupid fox, as you know I'm in prison and I'm planning to break out, I need your chakra to break a seal placed on me."

Kyuubi snarled, "**and if I refuse to help you**."

"If I don't get out, you don't get out, and if I die, you die."

"**I can't die you stupid mortal**."

"My freedom is your freedom."

Kyuubi contemplated this for awhile, Naruto had been closing off the connection on and off for awhile now and it was incredibly boring. He slept but that was pretty much it, and every time he forced his way through Naruto would just push him back again. He was extremely irritated and bored, he would've eaten him if he could. Kyuubi couldn't to die, but if the vessel died he would be sent back to hell to wait for another 200 years before he could come back. There was nothing to do there besides torture others but that got boring after awhile and the Shinigami unnerved Kyuubi.

**"Fine, I mean it will only come in my benefit in the end**.**"** He made a bloodcurdling noise that to most humans would cause them to faint, but Naruto knew it was actually a low chuckle. **"On one condition..."  
**

"What do you want?"

"**Once we have our freedom I want more freedom, which mean you stop severing the connection**."

"Fine."

"**Get out, Kit**."

As much as Naruto hated to admit it using his chakra only helped Kyuubi, the more he used it the more he would want to rely on it until Kyuubi took his opportunity to take over.

* * *

**5 hours later**...

It was time and Naruto was a bundle of nerves, his hands began to shake and his heart thumping in his chest as if daring to give away what he was going to do. He didn't want to think about the consequences if they didn't succeed. They would be sentenced to torture and then death, that's what happened to most that broke the rules, no matter how small the offense.

The sun was a deep orange in the distance with a lazy purple haze. The pinks and blues danced in the sky like it was just another evening. He had to move now. He had been meditating all day to get ready, Hawk, Rome, and Dai were off in the distance, they made eye contact and Rome gave the signal, which was tapping two finger tips twice to his temple. Naruto was hidden behind a column and made a clone. The clones went up to the biggest guy and punched him square in the face, he ducked behind him and when he turned around he assumed it was the poor guy next to him. He was livid and punched him which caused him to fall into another guy who was clearly not happy. This set off a chain reaction of events that Naruto would never forget.

Within a matter of seconds the riot was full blown it was Naruto's responsibility to make sure it went strong for as long as possible. Naruto could feel vibrations bounce off the wall from all the contained movement. He saw the guards attempt to stop it but they were outmatched by the sheer number of prisoners, Naruto made more clones and henged them into prisoners to keep the prison guards at bay. He saw the trio slip out unnoticed on their way to the mines.  
He heard alarms blaring and he was starting to sweat more. The humidity making sweat roll down his back and make him uncomfortable. After two minutes he heard the distinct sound of the mines collapsing and the ground rumbled all around him disrupting his balance.

'_Kyuubi_...'

He felt the surge of adrenaline mixed with pain when he recognized the demonic chakra pumping through him. He concentrated all of his nature and demonic chakra into the seal and under the pressure of the power it broke very easily under both of the chakra's power._ 'That was easier than I thought...'_ Now that that was complete all he had to do was go over and wait for the drug lord trio at the mouth of the mines.

* * *

"Hurry up, we don't know how long he can maintain the riot," Rome looked around making sure no one could see them. They had to go to the outskirts of the mines to make it convincing. His heart was beating fast but his face did not betray the feelings he had inside. In all honesty he was giddy right now, it had been so long since he felt a rush like this and with the added bonus of getting out of this hell of this place he was ecstatic, but he tried to push his feelings aside, they had a job to do. They had to go back outside to meet Naruto so he could break their seals.

"So you're the ones who have befriended Naruto." He heard a voice, he could have sworn they were alone. They all turned around getting ready to fight. Rome saw a tall man with brown scruffy hair and an orange swirl mask that revealed one red eye. He wore a long black cloak with red clouds on them.

"We're busy right now, leave." _'We have to hurry_.' It was nagging at him how he said that about Naruto.

"Based on my intel you're Rome, Dai, and Hawk. I see you plan to escape, and that is fine but you can't leave _with_ Naruto, we can't have you influencing our jinchuuriki, now can we? We appreciate you keeping him alive for us but your services are no longer needed."

"What? Who the hell are you?" He could tell he was grinning.

"Don't worry about it." The mystery man then went through hand signs and said "Earth release: Landslide." Rome felt the earth started to shake and big chunks of boulders collapse around him. "Well I must say this was a pleasure." He turned around and nonchalantly walked out. Without saying anything the trio began running, the man disappeared down the corridor.

He had made a wide area of the mines collapse, more than they planned. Rome began panicking _'we weren't supposed to be here while the mines collapsed. This wasn't part of the plan_.' Rome was truly scared larger and larger parts of the mines were collapsing and Rome knew they wouldn't get out. He never felt so much fear in his life and it gripped his chest and wouldn't let go. The trio were sprinting down the sections but the mines were all falling down, too fast then from right above them the ceiling collapsed and everything went black.

Naruto ran to the front of the mines, waiting they were supposed to be here. _'Where are they_.' He couldn't stay still, they had to leave NOW. The riot was close to calming down, the prisoners being restrained by the guards who had called in for back up. A minute passed and he was in full-fledged panic. _'They were supposed to be here_.' They were supposed to lead the clones there, get out and wait for him. Naruto was shaking and started wringing his hands.

He felt a cold fear run through him when guards ran towards him screaming to get away from the mines. Soon more guards were appearing along with more prisoners, the riot was controlled and the mines were attracting attention. _'What if they didn't make it out. What if they got trapped. No they didn't they're too smart for that_.'

The guards began entering the mines in waves to see how many casualties had happened. Naruto was starting to feel a gradual sense of numbing. They weren't coming. They missed their chance to leave. Naruto began walking towards the mines, "prisoner get away from here, that is an order." Naruto wasn't listening and started to struggle against the guard holding him back. _'I have to see if they're in there, I have to get them out. They're probably hurt_.'

He began struggling more and the prisoner out the shackles on him and dragged him away. "No, no, NO!" he began to struggle more but the guard just dragged him back to his cell. _'This wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to be free_.'

"Please I need to go see if someone's in there, please." "Request denied prisoner, chances are those inside died. We can't have you going in there."

He was dragged back to his cell and locked in. Naruto began throwing himself against the bars his mind going a thousand miles per minute. He had to go see! They were alive and they weren't listening to him. He started pacing back in forth his hands shaking and he was terrified. _'All I have to do is wait until they come back_.' He sat in his bed with his arms hugging his knees and telling himself that he'd be fine. In the back of his mind there was a little whisper telling him all the things he didn't want to be true. He refused to listen and started rocking back and forth staring at the wall, waiting for Rome to pop in and belittle him or something, anything. He waited all night not daring to sleep in case he came, but of course Rome never came back.

The next day was one of the worst in Naruto's life. Rome hadn't showed up last night and it was now mid afternoon, he hadn't moved from his position. The realization was dawning on him and he started shuddering with sobs _'this can't be true. No, please, why_.' He had tears streaming down his face and he was crying loudly, he was happy he was alone. It hurt so bad, they died trying to escape and now he was alone again. They were the people that had helped him so much, and he couldn't save them. The guilt, the anger, the pain. It was too much, he was in agony it wasn't fair. He just wanted it all to go away. He was completely alone and more now than ever.  
He spent what was most of the day crying and he was grateful the mines were shut down for now. He didn't eat, he didn't sleep. Then he remembered the little blue pills in the false bottom of the empty frame.

**A COUPLE DAYS AGO**...

"Why didn't you hide the drugs?" Naruto was feeling nervous he didn't want to be the direct vicinity of the pills.

"Because I trust you, and I know you would never go back to that, you're too strong for that. Relax, you have the strongest will I've ever seen. Just forget about them. We all trust you and your self control." He smiled a warm smile and put his hand on his shoulder. That relaxed  
Naruto it was enough for him.

* * *

He hadn't thought of them since but right now he knew they were there and it was burning a hole in his conscious. It hurt so bad, there was a constricting in his chest and felt so lonely. The monster was practically calling him, and this time he was not strong enough to fend it off.

He slowly got up his crying had swollen his eyes so it was hard to see. He sat in front of the false bottom. He stared at them and then lunged at them. He was about to place one in his mouth when

'**Kit... Don't do this, you know there are consequences for your actions**.'

As much as Kyuubi hated himself for stopping making Naruto suffer he knew that he was unstable and if he tried to off himself he would get sent back to hell. He wasn't going back there anytime soon.

_'Shut up, I failed, I need this, don't take this away from me.'_

**'Dont-**'

Naruto severed the connection not wanting to listen any longer.  
The monster was screaming at him now so he took it back to his bed and hugged his arms around his knees again.

He swallowed to blue pill with tears sliding down his face and waited for what seemed like eternity to get the high. His eyes glazed over slightly and his tense muscles relaxed.  
The monster came and with it the familiar sense of euphoria. The pain was gone and the monster enveloped him in an embrace, and Naruto more than willing to accept it.


	9. Through the Gates of Hell and Back

**AN: **Yea I don't own Naruto, boohoo.

Side Note: Otherside is one of my absolute favorite songs both the original with the violin and the remix with Fences. I love it and I though it fit so well so that's why it's there.

**Through the Gates of Hell and Back**

_I've seen cocaine bring out the demons inside cheatin' and lyin'  
Friendships cease, no peace in the mind stealing and taking anything to fix the pieces inside  
Broken, hopeless, headed nowhere  
Only motivation for what the dealer's supplying  
That rush, that drug, that dope  
Those pills, that crumb, that roach  
Thinkin' I would never do that, not that drug  
Growing up nobody ever does  
Until your stuck, lookin' in the mirror like I can't believe what I've become_

~_Otherside Macklemore & Ryan Lewis_

He didn't know what time it was or what day it was, hell it took him awhile to realize where he was. All he knew is that he felt good again. He had a smile on his face and was staring at his cell's wall. This feeling was starting to ebb away and Naruto didn't like it, he wanted to be happy for longer. The Oxy's high was leaving, he didn't want to go back there, he was happy where he was everything was so great.

Soon Naruto found himself with reality crashing down all around him. It was like someone had pressed play on everything. And he found himself being crushed under the pressure and gravity of life and the unbearable feeling of depression and loneliness.

So he went back to the monster.

* * *

He popped another pill and the surge of happiness was back again.  
Naruto was not immobile or anything he just simply liked his cell more, even though he was prisoner there it was more comforting there than having to go out. He didn't know how long it had been, he just popped another pill when he felt his high going away. He stayed on this cycle until he realized he ran out. The bottle had 40 pills, where did they all go?

Naruto in his harsh reemergence to life began to panic, he didn't know where to get more. He had time before he would absolutely NEED another hit but he didn't know where to refill his stock.  
He then remembered to all the other dealers, only one sold what he wanted though, he used to be a drug dealer why hadn't he remembered earlier?

He was starting to sweat and the memories of his dead friends flooding back and drowning him. He needed to find the guy. For the first time in he didn't know how long he left the cell, his craving the only thing driving him forward. He wondered around not being noticed by others, he felt so exposed now that he stood there alone.

He had only met the guy once but recognized him instantly, he had to know the competition at the time when he learned who he was. He went over to a large man with dark brown hair that hung in bangs to the side, his eyes black and impassive. His eyes shot up when he saw the state of Naruto and gave a friendly but sadistic grin. Naruto knew he had some and wasn't in the mood for conversation. The man, known as Kato gestured in front of almost like he read his mind.

"Please take a seat." He said a far too friendly voice. Naruto complied and said "I'm here to do business with you. How much." Kato looked at him and said "My, my isn't this a fortunate coincidence, your one of Rome's _dogs_, what can't get anymore out of him?"

Kato was well aware that they died but had hated Rome and had a business to run and with Rome gone he would finally get more customers. He had practically sucked him dry of all his business. He took in the sight of the blonde across from him, huge bags under his eyes, visibly sweating and anxious. Those big blue orbs filled with emptiness and desperation. Naruto looked at him and said "how much?"

"I don't like to do business in public lets go back to my cell." He got up and lead not bothering to turn around knowing that the boy would follow.

Once they entered the cell Kato turned to him and said "turn around, now." Naruto complied his heart thumping in his chest and heard movement and then "you can turn now." In his hand he held a smaller bottle of pills with about half of what the bottle in his cell had. "150 ryos." Naruto looked at him and said with anger "that's not worth that amount, you're cheating me." It took what self control he had to not jump him and run.

"So what if it is, everyone else is out of business thanks to him, there's only me left. What's it gonna be blondie? Do you want these or not?" He shook the pills in his hand and was satisfied when Naruto was staring at them.

"Fine" he handed him the money and went to reach for the pills and as his hand reached out Kato grabbed his wrist and pinned him to the wall. Naruto yelped in pain and Kato clamped a hand over his mouth. Naruto saw his eyes looking over his body and when they stared into his he saw the same hunger he recognized from the first time he stepped into the showers. Naruto froze with the same fear as the first time his eyes wide with panic. Kato cocked his head to the side and ran his thumb along one of his whiskers which sent cold shivers down Naruto's spine. Then as if nothing happened he released him and threw him out of his cell.

Naruto placed them in his pockets and being careful not to make noise walked as fast as he could back to his cell. When he got there he took another and all his troubles faded away again.

* * *

Mornings were always the worst, most he would be wide awake through. But he needed sleep and when he did he always had nightmares and he woke up sober which was torture. Those couple of minutes of sobriety were awful the emotions flooded back full force and he always ended up crying or feeling completely dead and hollow inside.

He took another pill, the ones Kato had given him would only last less than a week so he would have to go back to him regularly. Once the familiar feeling settled over his body he heard over the intercom "the mines are now open. All prisoners must resume work." Naruto didn't like this but felt too good to fight it. He had no idea how long it had been since he's taken a shower so he went to the showers.

He had forgotten the only good thing about this place was that it had hot water and stayed in the shower for longer than he needed. He got out and knowing he had to eat something went to the cafeteria. He hated the food but had no choice and right now it wasn't bothering him. He was staring out the window when he felt eyes on his back. He turned around and surveyed the cafeteria and made eye contact with those black eyes and felt the same fear again. Kato was openly staring at him with no emotions on his face, and Naruto quickly looked away and went to the mines.

He laid down on his bed after his shift and took another pill when he felt the monster calling to him softly.

* * *

His life continued this way for what felt like a week but was actually four months. In that time he went through the same exact schedule in complete euphoria and instead of having to take one pill he had to take two to get his buzz, he didn't like how Kato's pills weren't as potent as Rome's had been.

His business transactions with Kato had not gotten better. He would always stare at Naruto with that hunger in his eyes and occasionally when Naruto was in a rush to get back to the waiting monster he would hold pin him against the wall and stare into his eyes. Naruto was terrified of Kato but forgot about him and never thought of him until it was time to go back. Sometimes he would just stare at him and look him up and down and sometimes he would stroke his cheek. Once he even kissed him on his neck and felt him up. He could live with this as long as he got what he wanted out of their transactions. He would be numb to it eventually and he could always escape at the swallow of a friend.

* * *

Naruto felt the feeling of everything starting to claw at the edges of his mind, his buzz was wearing off. He had to go to Kato soon before lights out. He looked across the room at the empty bed and felt the tightening in his chest, he needed to go now. He went to Kato's cell to find him reading.

He looked up at him with a wicked grin "come back for more?" Naruto just looked down not wanting to look him in the eyes and nodded his head. He looked around and walked up to him and whispered right next to his ear, too close for comfort "this place is too public right now, we need to do this somewhere else." He was right it was half an hour before lights out and most prisoners were in their cells, Kato was lucky though, he didn't have a roommate so no suspicion. He looked at him expectantly and Naruto turned around and waited for him to get the drug. Naruto went to the only place that he knew would be completely private.

The gym had a weak light from outside streaming through, he didn't turn on the lights so people wouldn't know they were in there. Naruto turned around and saw that Kato had followed, he could see the contours of his face from the shadows where the light filled the room. Naruto was even more uneasy he wanted to get in and out. He turned around and he was pinned against the wall again with Kato's hand clamped over his mouth and that ever present look in his eyes.

Naruto knew that in this situation it was best not to panic this had happened before several times.

Kato began to stroke his cheek again " you know you're very pretty, you have a very...unique look to you. Not many people have whisker marks, it looks good on you." He put slightly more pressure against his body. "I was thinking that instead if a monetary payment, you pay me back some other way."

This had never happened before and Naruto's mind started racing, this wasn't good. "It's simple really I make you feel good, and you make me feel good." He looked at his face but Naruto kept an impassive face even though he was a torrent of fear and panic underneath his mask. "There's no need to be scared, it will feel really good, you'll see." He started kissing him and licking and sucking on the crevice of his neck. Naruto whimpered, "sshh, don't say anything."

Then his hand traveled to the waistband of his pants and went under his boxers and started feeling around. He kept an impassive face and his jaw was clenched. He began stroking him and he was mad that his body began betraying him. His hand kept bobbing under his waistband and eventually Naruto grunted and moved forward, he felt a warm sticky feeling in his boxers. He was breathing heavier, Kato leaned in and said "see it wasn't that bad, and now it's my turn."

He grabbed Naruto's arm and twisted it behind his back and bent him against a machine. Naruto began struggling and Kato said "don't struggle now, you do want these don't you?" He put the bottle in front of his face and Naruto stopped struggling even though he was still tense. He was breathing angrily through his mostrils. He took off Naruto's shirt and pants so that he was standing in his dark blue boxers. "If you relax you'll enjoy this." He whispered close to his ear and began to suck on his lobe. Kato began to move his hands all over his chest and waist. "You know I've been waiting for this, I've wanted you for awhile now, sunshine." This sent a shudder through Naruto in response. "Don't worry I'm not a cruel or unreasonable man." He opened the bottle and gave Naruto one pill. He didn't know he needed two to get his buzz so he was only somewhat relaxed when Kato dropped his pants and his own boxers.

He felt something poking him earlier and then he felt him inside of him. He kept moving and everytime sending searing pain into him shooting up his body. He wanted to cry out in pain but knew it wasn't a good idea. Naruto wanted to break down and cry. He would grunt every once in awhile when Kato was pushing really hard. Kato began panting and moaning and driving his pelvis faster. He pressed against his back side and he could feel his nails clawing into him below his belly button near his hips.

After what seemed like forever his body went rigid against Naruto's and he felt the sticky feeling again as he got his release. He relaxed and the only thing that could be heard as his heavy breathing. He backed away and dressed himself and Naruto and leaned in close and said "this was fun, wasn't it? Everybody's happy this way. This is somewhat of an inconvenience though, since we both don't have roommates I'll see if we can get placed together. It would make our transactions so much...easier" He whispered next to his face. Naruto didn't dare look at him he just bolted out of there.

He got back to his cell and sat there on his bed and wrapped his arms around himself and started shaking. He felt so heavy like he was made of cement that he couldn't even move to when the monster began calling him. He felt so disgusting and dirty, the tears started coming again. _'I can't do this anymore, I can't go back to him, I won't survive. I can't take anymore of this_.' The bell went off signaling lights out and he didn't move the pain was intense and a stabbing feeling radiating from his lower spine, he fell to his side and didn't move. The tears falling freely when he heard it again  
'**Kit**...'

'_...What_' he was so tired he didn't have the will power to fight back or break off the connection. He had kept Kyuubi out for the majority of the four months.

**'You're killing ****yourself kit, we need to get out of here.'** Of course the only thing the fox cared about was himself.

Kyuubi had to work some kind of damage control and tread lightly around him right now, he wasn't going to help himself so Kyuubi had to do something about it.

_'I don't care, I've had enough. I'm completely done. I can't do this anymore_.'

**'Shut up, you've lost my respect or what little you had of it in the first place. You're weak the old imbecile would have never given up or let his troubles conquer him...what happened to him?**'

_'I don't know,...I am him and he's gone_.'

Kyuubi was unsure how he would react to this, **'what about the trio, they would've never approved. You would've tried your best to never disappoint them which is disgusting and something I will never understand. But you always tried to make them proud and to throw away what they died fighting for is the lowest thing you've done so far**.'

_'It hurts so much, I'm completely alone, you don't understand,...I can't do this_.'

**'Yes you can and you will. There is no option, either that or become his chew toy, don't be pathetic. Handle your own problems do not succumb to them**.' Kyuubi knew he was being harsh and that may have not been the best thing to do in his condition but it was what he would react to most.

**'Find your will to live Kit. I WILL NOT DIE HERE**. **You still have people to fight for, not everyone has abandoned you, and I am also FORCED to be here.**' Kyuubi flashed peoples faces in his mind Iruka, Jiraya, the Sand siblings, Inari, Konohamaru...' This caused something to click in Naruto's mind, he needed to get out. No matter what happened he always had people wiling to help, and if the stupid fox was willing to help him then Naruto was in desperate need of it.

'_Nothing in this world that is worth the trouble and effort will ever be easy. You're too strong for that. Relax, you have the strongest will I've ever seen_…..'

'..._you're right'_

**'Of course I am, I always am**.'

This caused Naruto to chuckle, he was starting to feel the monster screaming at him. But tried his best to ignore it.

"What about these..." he looked down at the pills in his hands.

**'Flush them. Now.'** He looked down at the toilet in the corner of the room and became extremely hesitant. He wanted to get rid of them but his body disobeyed.

**'Now Kit**.' He breathed in a shaky breath and opened to bottle. He couldn't move the monster was screaming at him in anger. He felt a flare of demonic chakra flow through him and he spilled the pills in the toilet he gasped and reached to pick them up.

**'DONT. If you reach for those pills I will make it my mission in my damned eternal life to take over and kill everyone you care for.'**

_'You wouldn't_...'

**'I would and you know in your state I would win.'**

After five minutes of sitting there he was thinking, his mind racing, _'I HAVE to leave this place.'… You know I've been waiting for this, I've wanted you for awhile now, sunshine...'_ He reached over in a flash and flushed them fighting every urge in his body and mind screaming at him to get them.

**'Now is the part that you're not going to like**.' Then as if his insides were being kicked he reached over the toilet bowl and vomited three times, and was dry heaving. **'I need to filter out your system as much as possible.'**

Naruto nodded to himself and went to lie in bed, Kyuubi was healing him from his encounter with Kato earlier and he was feeling a slight bit better. He lied in bed even though he knew he wouldn't get any sleep that night.


	10. The Empty Cell

**AN: **It's Wednesday, this week is too damn long. You know the drill, Naruto isn't mine.

Side Note: Did you know that you get more **and **longer lasting pleasure from eating chocolate than kissing your significant other? I thought it was just wonderfully hilarious. I had to share.

**The Empty Cell**

In and out. That was the plan or had been the plan, but that was over four months ago. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE. He could wait though, he had waited years for this to come and what was this to him now? He had waited thinking the vessel would come to its senses and escape again, and Pain was to make sure it would escape and fall right into their arms. His source on the inside had stopped all communications and he was currently waiting for his input.

There was a knock at the door and he said "come in." Konan came in her face impassive as always and said "our source has been cut off, terminated in a mine collapse." Pain was impassive also, sure this wasn't good news but he would sent someone else in, there was always a way around. "Find someone else, whoever. Make sure they befriend him, it'll make the job easier during the retrieval process."

* * *

One of the strongest feelings was the burning shame. For giving in to everything, to Kato so easily and to the monster. It was so intense and all of his feelings he had been repressing came back again with a vengeance.

He had not slept at all and was lying on his side the phantom pains from his lower spine sending shudders throughout his body. He moved knowing he had to go shower, just begging Kato wasn't there. He felt disgusting, thoroughly and completely disgusting. He felt the dried sweat, bodily fluids, and tears on him and wanted to die right there. But he got up his conversation with Kyuubi and Rome's words and the trios memory the only source for his self-control and comfort.

He was being dragged through hell, he heard screams from the monster non-stop all night and were now drowning out his every though. He felt the insatiable burning in his veins and body for another hit. Just one more. That was all he needed.

Naruto knew he couldn't go back now if he did he knew he would never leave this place alive. The moment his minds turned on him was truly when he knew he hit rock bottom. 'I _**NEED **__more, I can't go on like this…I've wanted you for a long time now, sunshine... I can live with that, I can. I just need the pills, and everything will go away. I'll be happy, besides he likes me he wasn't purposely rough with me..._' These happened several times during the night and he had to ask Kyuubi to do something, anything to keep him from leaving his cell, and so he did, he sent large waves of chakra, the pain causing the craving and coaxing from the monster to subside just enough for him to fight it again.

He was grateful at moments like those that he wasn't completely alone but he would NEVER say that, the stupid fox didn't deserve that. For the most part it was non-stop it would never shut up and the burning would never go away he thought he was going truly insane.

* * *

The water was so warm it almost burned Naruto but he needed something anything to get the feeling of filth off of him. He looked down and he saw eight diagonal scratches in between his hips. He knew Kyuubi had healed him and it wasn't possible for something so small to leave a scar but he swore he could see faint lines.

Then his mind began to turn on him _'just one. Just once. NEED TO GO GET SOME NOW. Kato won't mind he'll always be there so that I can be happy again. I don't have to deal with this, there's always another way.'_

He clutched his head and screamed "stop it. STOP IT. LEAVE ME ALONE. SHUT UP." He was all alone, no one was up yet he left to the showers as soon as they opened. He dragged himself over to the mirror and looked at his reflection. He hadn't seen himself and avoided mirrors at all cost that was just asking for something bad to happen.

He couldn't believe it, he didn't recognized himself, at all he knew it was him but everything was so surreal he was convinced it was a bad dream and he would wake up in Konoha. Almost. He stared at his reflection for a second and stood there frozen in front of the mirror and he didn't want to look but his eyes wouldn't obey him. _'Is that...me_?'

He was pale very pale, his eyes looked sunken in with purple bags underneath that he knew would get worse over the next two weeks. His hair lost its shine and usual bounciness and looked dull. His features taunt, he could see his cheekbones now and he was skinny but he was happy that not all of his muscle had deteriorated, it was stupid, incredibly stupid to be happy to have some of his muscles, but it reminded he hadn't completely lost everything. His eyes were not his that were looking back at him, they seemed darker, empty, like there was no one in matter how bad looked on the outside he felt worse on the inside. He couldn't stand to look at himself and the monster came back whispering tempting things right next to his ear. He began crying.

"I can't do this, I can't. Please someone make it stop tell it to leave me alone." He felt that familiar flare of chakra inside him again and it burned. It hurt bad.

**'Kit get up, now, you've just started you can't give up**.** You will not give up, and I will not die.**'

"I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I CANT"'

**'Stop being pathetic**.' He spat and he let Rome's words ring through his head again, it was as if they drowned out the monsters taunting and coaxing. '_Nothing in this world that is worth the trouble and effort will ever be easy. You're too strong for that. Relax, you have the strongest will I've ever seen_…..'

He thought back to the trio, the way Dai had become the mother hen when he got hurt, Hawk and his annoying way of showing he cared and the way Rome acted like an older brother, and for the first time instead of feeling suffocation and pain in his chest he smiled, a real smile and he cried tears of happiness. He missed them so much, he was so lonely but he couldn't give in he had to leave not just for himself but for them. He got up with his body still feeling like cement and them on his mind and left the bathroom.

He walked into the cafeteria with the monster still not shutting up but trying his best to ignore it, it seemed that's where all his energy went to. He walked into line and got his disgusting food which he looked displeased at.

"Hey, how'd you sleep?" That voice. It was setting off alarms in his head and he had to resist the urge to not shrivel up and run away and cry all at the same time. He felt a hand press against the small of his back and then move around his waist possessively and then let go. He wanted to chop that hand off and he hated that voice. Even though he hated Kato he also felt the overpowering urge to beg him for more drugs the monster was getting louder, and he felt shame and disgust, he knew he wouldn't be interested in monetary payment. To consider it made Naruto mad. He remained silent and forced himself to breathe evenly so he wouldn't hyperventilate.

"Well I slept like a baby, last night was one of the best I've had in a while" he purred into his ear. Naruto ignored him and looked out the window and was vaguely aware of Kato's hand moving. He felt pressure on his thigh and it started inching higher and higher. Naruto had jumped slightly and then got up from the cafeteria and tried to make it seem like he wasn't running out of the cafeteria.

He went straight to the mines. He would start his shift and Kato couldn't follow him there while people were there. He walked to the mouth of the mines which was on the side of the prison. The entrance sloped downwards into the ground and lead to the mines which were underground. He looked around and noticed that there was one guard there, he looked around, the sun hadn't even risen yet, which meant that most of the prisoners were still asleep. He walked up to the guard "66510." "Alright you're in section B16 today."

Naruto walked into the mines and felt himself relax a little when he almost reached his station. He felt an arm grasp his wrist and pull him into one of the closed off sections of the mines, almost one section collapsed on a monthly basis. He felt déjà vu as a hand clamped down on his mouth and he hit his head against the rock wall causing a sharp pain. He felt breathing next to his neck and it sent unpleasant chills down his neck.

"This was smart, this way we down get caught again. You almost made me run after you." Naruto began to shake and Kato pushed his body against him and put his hand around his face. That look in his eye was still there along with amusement. "Don't worry you'll get double for this." This made Naruto feel two things. One, was an almost desperate need for Kato to get on with it so he could be happy again and so the monster could stay quiet. It was trying hard to get Naruto to give in. Two, was a sense of panic and fear, he couldn't! He was going to leave and then he offers him something that he almost couldn't refuse.

He couldn't think straight and Kato began pushing more against him and he his head migrated towards him neck. His hands wandered under his shirt and began going up and down his chest and waist. He grabbed him by the waist and yanked him towards him and pinned him tighter against the wall making it hard to breathe. The monster was talking to him saying how this was the only choice, and how satisfying the reward would be afterwards if he was good. '_No! No! NO! NO!'_ Naruto could do the only thing he could think of and brought his knee up hard against Kato's groin and when he doubled over he kicked him in the face. He began kicking him and punching him and stopped when he had blacked out, that was such a rush, it felt so satisfying to beat him after what he'd done to him. He was leaving, now. He wouldn't dare wait longer.

His mind was rushing he didn't know what to do. Kyuubi could feel him panicking.

'**Make a clone to collapse this section of the mines and make it seem like you died.' **Naruto nodded and made a clone and he couldn't look at him in the face. "Stay here and make this mine collapse." He saw the clone nod out of his peripheral vision. Naruto ran to another section and hid in a dark unused section. He heard and felt the mine collapse feeling satisfied that Kato was crushed.

'**Now when a guard runs by you knock him out and switch clothes with him and henge into someone else, make sure he does not see your face.' **Naruto could barely think let alone make a plan. The monster was mad and drowned out everything, he couldn't even hear him heart thumping in his ears even though he could feel it. He only focused on Kyuubi's words knowing if he didn't he would have a breakdown and never leave again.

An unsuspecting guard passed by and Naruto took his chance. He grabbed him around the neck and clamped down on his mouth, he could only hold him to keep him from escaping. He tightened his hold on his neck and just waited until he stopped struggling. When he did he changed him into his clothes and henged into the guard with brown hair. He took his keys and walked out as calmly as possible.

He went out to the front and walked out of the front door with the flash of a pass. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be in the mines?" the guard looked at him with boredom. Trying to steady his voice and sound nonchalant he said "Nope, they switched me with someone else, I have to go out to the front to help with a new shipment of prisoners." "Ha, good luck, the new ones are always the rowdiest." He smirked and waved. Naruto's heart was pounding, he didn't expect it to be this easy, he was incredibly nervous but it was easy.

He walked out the gates and felt a light breeze hit his face, he was almost free. He had to put on his poker face to keep from grinning like a fool. He walked over to a truck and said "I have to go pick up a shipment of prisoners." He looked at his name tag, Kita. "Truck C3, right?* You have to switch shifts with me, report to the mines." He looked at him suspiciously which caused him to sweat slightly and his hands to get clammy, "if you have a problem with that take it up with your supervisor." The man looked irritated "no, its fine." He got out of the truck and thrw him the keys. The man left mumbling under his breath.

Naruto felt a huge relief even though the ever present voice was trying to make him feel bad. He felt so free and happy that for a little bit the burning, the yearning dulled down. He was about to climb into the driver's seat when Kyuubi spoke up.

'**What are you doing?'** Naruto was confused, '_I'm leaving why aren't you pleased you damn fox?'_ he was getting agitated. **'You can't leave in a truck, once you leave it abandoned somewhere they're going to know that something happened. Go on foot you'll be faster' **This made sense to Naruto, without giving the fox the satisfaction of knowing he was right he simply left the keys hanging from the driver's seat handle. He quickly looked around to make sure everyone had gone inside then ran as fast as he could into the forest surrounding the prison.

* * *

He had no idea how long he had been running through the trees but eventually then began to disperse more and he found a worn dirt trail and decided to follow it. He was tired but was so happy that he was out that it felt like a dream. He had had a huge smile on his face the whole time he was running, how he missed it and loved the way the air hit his face. '_I made it guys, I wish you were here with me.' _The pain returned to his chest but he was still smiling.

His muscles were screaming out in pain when he finally reached the gates of an average city, it wasn't the Hidden Leaf though. He walked up to the gate but was stopped but guards "state your business here." He froze he hadn't thought this far ahead. '_Kyuubi what do I do?'_ He heard the fox sigh in irritation **'Ruto Maki, here for visitation of family.' **"Ruto Maki, here for visitation of family." They looked at him up and down trying to see if he held any threat. "Alright, you can go." Only the hidden villages would want specific details of what you were doing there, but that was only because the Kages lived there.

Naruto wandered through the city in an exhausted state. His cravings always got worse at night, it was when he was most vulnerable. He found a decent hotel and went straight to his room. He had his money with him, just enough, but it wouldn't last him long since he wasted most of what he had saved on the monster. He took a shower and stayed there looking straight ahead, the hot water relaxing his tense muscle and him still in disbelief that he was there, right now. He had finally escaped that strip of hell. He would be done with the monster in about two weeks, he had seen the periods of withdrawal in prison, compared to most there he had just barely started. Just because the monster was going to be there for two weeks didn't mean it wouldn't be absolute hell.

He decided not to eat and went straight to bed. As much as he wanted to he fell asleep, his eyelids were heavily but he had an increasing sense of paranoia and anxiety. He didn't know what to do now, he was alone _'what do I do now? Where do I go?'_

' **Its okay Kit, calm down, we'll figure something out.'**

This made him feel a little better but then he remembered his friends and Kato and all the sadness and increasing depression and loneliness that he knew would become stronger over time. He couldn't cry though, there was nothing there anymore. He wrapped himself in a cocoon of blankets and lied there, waiting for sleep, the monster and his body screaming at him for his release. When sleep finally came it was plagued by nightmare of what he'd seen, what he'd done, and what had happened to him.

* * *

* I figured since they have tvs, and lightbulbs they should have trucks as well since not everyone is a ninja, but cars are going to be rare. Also i know this is depressing but its going to start getting more actionier and not be as heavy.


	11. Art Is A Blast!

**AN: **I didn't upload yesterday or the day before that because I wasn't feeling the magic, it was kinda writers block . I really appreciate your reviews! (it's awesome, really, thanks but it makes me nervous reading them…..hehe*flustered*) Also, it might be longer periods in between uploads since I want to develop the personalities of characters and get certain things right.

Also…I don't own Naruto…..BUT….Be wild. Run down the street naked, I don't know just do something.

**Art Is A Blast!**

A weak ray of sunlight peeked out over the blinds landing on a figure cocooned in blankets. It was just breaking dawn. This said figure was shivering, but also sweating, more than he should have been it was only slightly chilly outside. '_...Water'_ he was so thirsty his mouth felt like cotton. He got up and immediately saw the room was spinning, he also felt lightheaded. He felt bile rising in his throat and immediately dragged himself to the bathroom to vomit. He vomited until he dry heaved but still felt the urge to throw up. He sat on the cold bathroom floor and just waited for the screams in his head to stop but he knew they wouldn't, he wanted to bash his head into the wall.

Everything ached he didn't know why and his skin started to look angry, like it was mad that he ran away from his high. He had blotches of a beginning rash on his arms._ 'Water'_ he got up with everything protesting and walked past the mirror not daring to look again. He opened the tap and just stuck in mouth into the running stream. He drank until his stomach hurt and then sat down in a chair with the blanket wrapped around him, he was still shaking.

**'We can't stay here Kit. I don't trust you and your will power alone you need someone to look after you**.'

"I don't have anyone to look after me, and the last thing I want to be doing is walking around right now."

**'Go to Suna**.'

_'No they would say something, I'm a fugitive now and going there is asking to be sent back. I can't go back there Kyuubi, I can never go back there.'_

**'You need to go somewhere, you can't fight this alone. Even with my healing you will still be in this state for about a week and a half minumum.**'

Naruto thought about this and frowned _'I can't go there, i can't let anyone see me like this, i can't go anywhere for now... I'll just wander around from city to city until this passes and then figure something out from there.'_

**'NO go find someone stop being so hard headed you foolish human**.'

"No." He had a frown on his face he wasn't letting anyone see him like this he had hit absolute rock bottom and he wasn't sure he wanted anyone to know what happened and how weak he'd been. If Kyuubi could he would punch Naruto senseless right now he was being incredibly irritating. As reluctant as he was he gave in **'Fine,….but we can't stay here it's still too close to the prison.'**

Naruto could barely get up without everything screaming no whether it was his head, body, mind or the monster, but he had to. He had made it this far and he wasn't going to cave now. He was sweating and turned on the shower to luke-warm and stripped down and threw himself in. He felt goosebumps rise on his skin as soon as he touched the water. The sheer amount of will power and determination required to get up was amazing, let alone take a shower and plan to travel around. He knew the traveling would help, the worst possible thing he could do was stay put where the monster could change his mind, he didn't want to think it was possible but he knew it still was. It was safer to physically exhaust himself.

When he got out he put on the outfit from the prison which was a long black sleeve shirt with the armor plates underneath and the dark green ninja pants with the open toed ninja boots. He saw a medicine cabinet and the monster started whispering to check inside to see if there was anything, but he ignored it even though there was a restless feeling coming from his fingertips. He walked into the kitchen with the room spinning, scratching his arms and rested against the counter hoping that it would all go away. IT WOULDN'T SHUT UP.

He knew he needed to eat and get out of there as soon as possible. He sighed wanting it all to go away but put on his best poker face before henging into the prison guard again and going out in search of food. The city was quiet, it was still early morning he found a diner and took a seat in the farthest corner near a window.

To be completely honest he didn't know where the hell he was and needed to find some kind of map. The last thing he needed was to wander into the wrong country. The monster was still talking even though he tried to tune it out, a waitress snapped him out of his thoughts. "What would you like today?" he looked at her she was short, had long black hair and hazel eyes. The monster started talking louder. "Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and some orange juice." It was talking louder. "Is that all?" and louder. "Yea, that's it." She was about to turn around "do you know where I can get a map by any chance?" and louder. "A map?" and louder "yes", it wouldn't stop. "You can check out by the front gates they should have some" and louder until it was screaming again. "Thanks." He looked back out the window trying desperately to tune it out again when he felt that painful flare on charka and tried not to scream out in pain. Lucky he was the only one here, and the monster subsided, but of course only temporarily. '_Thanks..' _he got no reply though.

She came back pretty quickly and gave him his plate, he said thanks and she went back to the kitchen. He looked down and still didn't feel hungry, it was weird he was never in a situation where he had to force feed himself. He ate as much as he could without risking vomiting again. When he finished he paid and left a tip and decided it was best to leave right away. He walked into the streets and tried his best to hide is sweating and shaking.

He couldn't help but feel an anxiety reach up on him and constrict him. **'You have to get out of here, your symptoms are getting worse, you can't be attracting attention to yourself. I can practically smell the anxiety on you.'** Naruto mentally nodded with the ever present talking in the background and headed over to the gate where he had no difficulties leaving. They looked at him weird and noticed his sweating. He took a map and noticed he was on the outskirts of the Land of Forests. He headed east in the opposite direction of Konoha.

He walked back into the forest, that nagging sense of anxiety getting worse.

* * *

Most would have assumed that he died in the mine collapse but if they did then they would be really bad at their jobs. He had been there when he saw the vessel leave and had been following him. He had reported back to Pain and Pain never showed it but was pleased, he could tell. He had switched jobs with Tobi and it was now his responsibility to retrieve the Kyuubi_. 'This isn't supposed to be my job.' _They had just finished a mission assigned to them, didn't he deserve a little break? He wasn't the least bit worried though, he had become one of the most feared missing nin in the entire world and what was a fourteen year old boy to him? '_He won't last long against my art, hmm._' He waited in the cover of the forest and watched the target in curiosity.

He admitted that there was something wrong with the boy but he couldn't tell what, his movements were forced and almost jerky. Upon seeing this his partner decided it would be his responsibility to retrieve the jinchuuriki and waited at their designated meeting point. Since their source of intel had been cut off they didn't know much of his condition or about the boy's abilities but he certainly didn't look strong. He wouldn't underestimate him but he knew this was going to be an easy catch just based on his movements.

He had to wait a good distance from the target until he could go in and capture him so that potentially surrounding people wouldn't notice. The vessel started to run through the forest moving east. He had no idea where he was going so it interested him, but not for long, he wasn't one for patience.

With a burst of speed he caught up with him, he was actually very slow. He had expected more from him, based on what he contained. He saw a fleeting look of surprise on his face before his leg connected with his stomach and sent him flying into a nearby tree. Just because he was a long range fighter didn't mean it was acceptable to be lacking in other areas. He saw him hit his back and grunted in pain then fall, the dense forest swallowed him whole. He jumped out of the tree and saw him fall with a thud. '_This is way too easy, yeah.' _He smiled knowing that the boy was already beaten. He looked at him and saw that he was drenched in sweat, bags under his eyes, pale skin, and he appeared to have little to no strength left after that one kick. There was something more going on with him.

He got closer and could hear him panting, he pinned him into the tree and saw that this revoked a reaction. There was pure fear and anger in his eyes, his pupils were also dilated. He hadn't suspected this strong of a reaction and resulted in a chakra enhanced fist connecting with his face. He jumped back and analyzed him. He had a look in his eyes that he couldn't decipher and saw a swirling blue orb in his hand and charged at him. He managed to dodge it but he was still chasing him like a mad person. '_He's reckless. Time to get serious, hmm' _he thought with a smirk.

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?!" the vessel shouted at him. "I was sent to collect you Naruto Uzumaki, jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, hmm." "Collect me? What are you talking about?" he said with poorly disguised panic. _'He's not going to make it out of here, might as well tell him.' _ "Collect you, the Akatsuki has motives to collect all of the jinchuuriki and extract their bijuus, but that's all you need to know." He said with an ever present smirk on his face.

He then took out some clay from pouches on his sides which mouths on his hands ate and spit out becoming a large bird in the process. He jumped on the bird and it flew into the sky and then looked down at the boy "come willingly or not I will be forced to take you with me." He then saw the boy turn around and bolt into the forest. The man flew over the vessel seeing him dart through the forest and grabbed more clay that his hands ate and he molded them into small little birds and threw them over the forest. '_I have to be careful not to kill him I need him alive.'_

The birds then grew and impacted with the land and trees surrounding the running boy. He was satisfied when he saw an orange burst and then a figure flung into the dense forest. He didn't see any movement and only heard the rumble of a river besides that nothing. He used his scope to zoom in and determine that the vessel wasn't moving. _'This was too easy, at least Sasori won't bite my head off for being late.' _

He landed on the ground and walked over to the body that was lying on the ground. The henge had disappeared and he saw the target from the description. He was small for a boy his age with blond hair and three whisker marks on each cheek he then picked him up and placed him on the tail of the bird which curled around the vessel and started to walk back to their meeting spot.

* * *

He was walking back almost at the meeting point when he heard a distinctive 'poof.' He turned back and saw that there was only a trail of smoke left where the jinchuuriki once was. When he realized what had happened he froze, '_….Clone hmm. How did me trick me?.., Sasoris not going to be happy.' _Needless to say he was irritated, but he got a better description of the jinchuuriki from his encounter. He couldn't go after him without telling Sasori so he went back not looking forward to what his partner would say.

* * *

Naruto turned around and sprinted into the forest. _'What is he talking about, extraction? I have to get away.' _He was running through the forest in a complete panic and his body protesting was not helping. The fear was the only thing driving him forward. He then felt the ground vibrate a distance away and heard the _BOOM_ of an explosion. He started feeling it all around. He was cornered and he knew it, he was in no position to fight and he was alone. He wouldn't give up without some type of quick, rash plan or not he wouldn't be Naruto Uzumaki.

He saw that little white birds flying into the trees were causing the explosions, so knowing he had a 50/50 chance of either dying or escaping he ran towards one of them up ahead.

'**You imbecile what are you doing! You're going to get us killed!' **he heard his tenant hiss. He completely ignored him and braced himself for impact. He shut his eyes but was blinded by a bright white light and a strong force that he felt go completely through him. He knew he was flying through the air then went through hand signs and then opened his eyes. His clone hit a tree while the original flew behind tree hidden by the clone who was going at his same speed as him. Naruto landed deeper in the forest and he some minor scrapes on him from sliding on the ground.

He looked up but saw nothing but leaves and he felt some sense of relief knowing that if he couldn't see the man with blonde hair in a ponytail and blue eyes than he couldn't see him. He noticed that his clone was still within visible range and he knew he had to hide. He looked around knowing the ponytail guy would be there soon and hid the only place he could think of; the river. Naruto ran over checking to see if there were any openings in the canopy of the trees.

The only sound he could hear was the sound of the rushing water and was getting anxious that the guy would show up soon. He placed his hands over his mouth and nose and focused some chakra into them to make sure he would have extra oxygen. He took a deep breath and slid into the river with a '_plop.' _ Naruto felt the current of the water push him down stream. He opened his eyes and saw a big boulder and let the current carry him over to it. He hid behind it for what seemed like forever and listened closely to see if his cover had been blown.

'**This is the stupidest idea you've had thus far. What happens if he finds you, or you drown?" **_'What did you want me to do!? I could only think of this in a second!'_

The blonde stayed until he could no longer hold his breath and was feeling dizzier. He swam up in a hurry and breathed heavy breaths looking around and seeing that the man was gone. He felt heavier than ever with the water weighing him down. He took out the map and saw it was completely soaked. **"You know what this mean, right?"** Naruto sighed _'yea, I have to go to Suna.'_


	12. Bonds

**AN: **I don't own Naruto , and I don't own a chocolate fountain either, can my life get any worse?

**Bonds**

It took three days to get to Suna. Naruto was going insane it was sand and nothing but sand for what appeared to be hundreds and hundreds of miles._ 'Its so hot. It's so hot. It's so damn hot.'_ This had become his personal mantra during his trek across Wind Country. He had run non-stop for the first two days worrying that they were following him. He was close to passing out and he had torn his black long sleeve t shirt at the sleeves and used one of the sleeves as a makeshift hiate to keep his hair out of his face. He had also rolled up his ninja pants.

He was running towards the border and stopped near the outskirts of the border. He had no idea what to do, this was a hidden village so security was much tighter here, and he had no idea on how to get inside. He needed a legitimate reason and if they found out his real identity he was screwed. Right now he looked incredibly suspicious and he didn't want to risk it.

So he did the only thing he could think of, which was wait. He hid himself behind a dune near the border. He waited and waited and waited, for what was about an hour but felt like saw several people walk by but he was unnoticed. The sun was setting and it was getting colder. The physical symptoms were feeling more pronounced now that he wasn't moving. He looked up at the sky _'only me right?_' **'Maybe it's because you're stupid?**' _'Shut up damn ball fur.'_ Kyuubi just chuckled.

Kyuubi had been quiet for most of the trip and only spoke up to make jabs at Naruto like when he was trying to catch fish but kept missing. This made Naruto more agitated than he already was. Naruto's physical symptoms of withdrawal had progressed but the sheer panic and anxiety of thinking he was being chased was enough for the voice to keep to the background, sometimes. It was impossible to cover the shaking and sweating, he hated the shaking it made it so obvious. The rashes were still there and angry as ever. The nausea, dry mouth and dizziness never went away. The vomiting came and went and so did the lightheadedness and goose bumps. He could make it through all of that but the muscle aches were the worst along with occasional stomach cramps. It was hard to move when every fiber of your being was demanding to stop. No matter how fast Kyuubi healed him it wouldn't go away. The cravings were intense, the need was so strong in his veins and the voice's tauntings made the waiting unbearable.

Then he saw exactly what he was waiting for, the boy his age with the gourd on his back, black lines green eyes, 'love' written in kanji above his eyebrow, red scruffy hair, and impassive face. Gaara. He was walking along the border with two others Naruto didn't recognize who seemed to be keeping their distance. They looked at him with intimidation every once in awhile.

He saw that the two guards spoke to Gaara and then he just stared back then nodded after awhile and they darted out of there. Naruto waited until they were a good distance away and then made his move. Not knowing what to do he blurted out his name in a high whisper. When he failed to capture his attention he said his name again slightly louder and threw sand in his direction. This caught his attention and he slightly paled when he saw the glare he sent his way.

Gaara walked over to where Naruto was crouching and glared down at him with his arms crossed and his sand moving in his gourd as if agitated. "Who are you, what are you doing here and give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right here."

"Gaara, it's me!" Gaara in turn just glared down at him with slight confusion. Naruto looked down at himself and realized he was still henged. He mentally face palmed himself **'see stupid'** _'shut the fuck up Kyuubi.'_ **'You make it too easy Kit.'**

Naruto dissipated the henge and looked up at Gaara and flinched not wanting to see his reaction to seeing him in his current state. He was relieved when he saw Gaara relax. "Uzumaki what are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in prison." There it was,….Gaara had always been very blunt.

Naruto stood up and said "I need to talk to you, privately, it's an emergency and no one can know that I'm here."

"Fine then, follow me." Gaara kept walking towards the gate and Naruto was about to protest when Gaara spoke up again "are you coming?" Naruto just nodded even though he knew he couldn't see him. He henged back into the prison guard as they walked by the front gates, all they needed to get by the front gates was a glare from Gaara which dared them to speak against him.

They continued through the streets which looked like Konoha, just covered in sand. '_This looks just like Konoha_. _No, stop, don't go there.'_ There were children playing in the streets and everything appeared carefree. It was just like he remembered the village right down to the stares full of anger and fear directed towards them. They were walking towards the direction of the Kazekage tower and Naruto was beginning to panic "Gaara where are we going?"

"The Kazekage Mansion." "Wait, why.." then it hit him, again, that they were the former Kazekage's kids so they were freaking loaded and lived in the mansion. Then once again a second realization hit him, the damn heat, I swear "no one can know I'm here, not even Temari and Kankuro."

"Why, they would look forward to seeing you again, they wouldn't say anything. You've missed a lot since your,….incarceration, Temari is now the Kazekage." "Wait, what!?"

"I thought you were trying to not make your presence known" he said with his same monotone voice. Naruto grabbed Gaara by the shoulder lightly and said in a panic "no one can know I'm here, no one sorry but the reason I'm here is because this has to do with you, and I don't know if you'd want to get others involved. Let's go somewhere _else_ please."

"Very well then." He turned around and lead him to a small but cozy hotel, he could feel Gaara looking at him every once in awhile out of the corner of his eye which Naruto ignored. He checked them in, both ignoring the stares and glares from the receptionist. This was good, hitting two birds with one stone, he was planning on checking into a hotel later on. As soon as they walked into the room Naruto ran over to the bed and threw himself in it, the journey here had really taken a toll on his already suffering body and everything had a painful pulse when he relaxed and he winced. He was staring up at the ceiling and had his body splayed out in a star shape. Naruto was thinking it but didn't mean to say it out loud but it just slipped "everything's changed….." it was just barely a whisper.

Naruto felt Gaara staring at him and he could tell slightly, just slightly that Gaara was…relieved? Gaara was happy that Naruto was back even though he appeared to be in such a bad state. He was beyond angry when he found out what had happened to Naruto after the failure to retrieve the Uchiha. Naruto had helped him after he beat him during the invasion and he couldn't help him return and made him feel something that he never felt,...helpless? He felt uncomfortable and squirmed under his stare. The red head broke the silence which Naruto found awkward but pleasant at the same time "I guess it has Temari's the new Kazekage, Konohas-" Naruto felt his voice go serious "stop, I don't want to know." Gaara figured that he was only going to have one of two reactions and wanted to know. One, to go back to Konoha or two, be upset and hurt. It was obvious the latter.

Naruto was still lying on the bed and Gaara sat in an armchair he had pulled closer to the bed, when he saw that Naruto was not making any attempts at moving any time soon. "What's wrong with you?" Naruto looked anywhere but at him "I have a bad case of the flu." Gaara was not convinced "really? Why aren't you sneezing, or coughing then? Or give any symptoms for the flu itself? Tell me the truth Naruto, I snuck you in here, breaking the law in the process tell me the truth." He sat back and cross his arms waiting.

Naruto on the other hand had his mind going back and forth between not saying anything and spilling the truth. He didn't want to see Gaara's reaction, but he also hadn't seen a real friend in such a long time that he just wanted to tell him anything. He knew if he asked Gaara would never say anything either so he reluctantly gave in wanting desperately to talk to someone that wasn't in his own mind. He had no idea what he was saying the words just pouring out from his mouth, it was all a continuous stream of syllables and he could hear the panic and anxiety rising in his own voice as he told his red head monotonic friend that he hadn't seen in two years. He told him everything about prison, the mines, the grayness, Rome, Dai and Hawk, his 'job', their failed escape plan and their deaths, and his descent into drug induced hell, but he wouldn't tell about Kato. He would never tell about Kato he felt enough shame as it was. When he finished he dared to look at Gaara and was so happy that he always showed as much emotion as a brick.

"I'm surprised that you of all people resorted to that-" this succeeded in pissing off Naruto, and without thinking he opened his big loud mouth. "Screw you, Gaara, everyone has their own vices. What's yours, killing people?" as soon as he said that he instantly regretted it.

He knew it wasn't fair to Gaara, he had been under Shukaku's influence of bloodlust longer than Naruto. Every kill Gaara had ever done was under the influence of the demon or in self-defense, most had tried to kill him and it was how he protected himself. Even though Gaara was under the influence of the bijuu he doubted that Gaara enjoyed killing others.

"Im sorry, Gaara I didn't mean it. I'm just easily agitated right now."

"Withdrawal?" Naruto flinched at that word but nodded. "If you had let me finish I would have said I'm surprised that you of all people would resort to that but can see why you would resort to that."

Naruto swallowed, he was thirsty _'why wouldn't the dry mouth go away!?'_ "Thanks Gaara, really. It helps, more than you know." Gaara was silent and they both knew that was it on that topic.

"What was the emergency?" Naruto began to scratch a rash on his arm that Gaara noticed "When I escaped from prison, I was attacked by someone that said they were from the Akatsuki. The man, he was blond looked kind of feminine, had blue eyes, was wearing a black cloak with red clouds on them said that he was going to capture me, and other jinchuuriki to extract their bijuus." Naruto's eyes were darting back and forth over the ceiling "I barely escaped, I wasn't in a position to fight but I could tell he was really powerful."

"Are you sure?" in all honesty Gaara was hesitant. That was a big claim to be making the Akatsuki were a notorious mercenary group made of missing S-rank rouge ninjas, and for Naruto to barge in like that after his confession and saying that was a bit,…..unexpected. Naruto shot up, he knew it was a stretch for him to believe him "I can prove it to you, get me a Bingo book, an international one."

"Okay then, wait here." Gaara left for what was about ten minutes and in that time Naruto got up, vomited and nearly sucked the water pipes dry. When Gaara walked back in with a book he saw Naruto with his head under the faucet guzzling water. He gave him a look and Naruto looked startled when he heard the door close. He took the book from Gaara trying to hide his shaking, which did not go unnoticed and started looking through the book. Then he found him "its him."

Gaara saw he was pointing to a blond man that matched his description. He had a bounty on his head for 150,000 ryos and was S-class. His name: Deidara, village: Iwa, age:19 listed as very dangerous, information: former Iwa Explosives Specialist, member of the Expolsion Corps. "Do you believe me? He said the Akatsuki were after us. You can't say anything they won't believe me and the village will sent me back, and I won't make it out this time Gaara, I won't." As much as Gaara was reluctant he agreed "what's the plan?"

"I don't know but I have to warn them, I have to do _something_. Wait, what do you mean by that, you're not coming with me" Naruto said with persistence. "I believe that is my choice, you can't go alone you'll get killed especially in during you withdrawal." _Flinch. _"Gaara no, you have a life here, you can't throw that away."

Gaara sighed "I don't have a life here Uzumaki. After the invasion you showed me that I didn't want to go through my life going as I was. I've tried to make amends with Temari and Kankuro and the village as a whole but they seem more scared of me than ever. I tried to initiate conversation, and be more friendly and open but it seems to make it worse."

"No Gaara they just need time to readjust besides you're not going to become a missing nin because of me." "It doesn't matter if they readjust, they're always going to be fearful of me. We are never going to have a connection besides our blood." Gaara paused for awhile "do you think we have a bond, Naruto?"

"Yes"

"I'd rather go with a friend who understands me and what Iv'e gone through than live my life with people who have always hated me and tried to kill me. I'm going, you won't survive out there alone regardless of withdrawal or not. You attract too much attention" he said with a small smirk on his features.

Naruto was not pleased that Gaara was going to give up his freedom for him but he was just as stubborn as him. He was glad he wouldn't be alone anymore.

"You should wait until it passes until we go after the rest. It's too dangerous if we don't wait."

"No. if I stay in one place for too long the cravings gets worse. If we constantly move while this happens then it keeps my mind somewhat busy and gives me no option but to keep moving forward." "Fine then." Silence.

"Gaara?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks" Gaara didn't respond though but got up and went to the door "we leave tomorrow."

"Goodnight." He didn't respond though since he was already out the door

* * *

Naruto got more sleep than he'd gotten in a long time. The sleep was still plagued by nightmares, most of the time it was Kato but this time it was Sasuke ramming his chidori into Naruto's shoulder which caused him to jump and wake himself more than once.

He met Gaara later that day after eating a little ramen stand not too far from the hotel and showering. He also bought new clothes since his old ones were torn and disgusting with sweat. He was now wearing a dark grey t shirt that fit him perfectly and classic navy ninja pants, he still kept that toeless boots since they were really good quality.

He met up with Gaara at the outskirts of the village. "I'll make the diversion and then we bolt, okay?" "Sure." Naruto made three clones and all henged them into children that he'd seen earlier. He looked at them "fight one another and them steal the clipboard of the guards and run, you run so fast and don's stop" "Got it, Boss" With that they turned and created the diversion.

"That was your diversion, it's rather childish." "Yea, I know! Its awesome right, they won't expect it and that's the smartness of it." As soon as the guards took off down the city streets the two jinchuuriki made their escape from the city. On their departure from Suna Gaara took off his hitate off his crossbody belt forehead protector, whats it called?). Naruto watched as he let it fall and disappear into the sand. They then turned and walked side by side towards their next destination.


	13. Suffocation

**AN:** I don't own Naruto…so….err….yea.I may start to edit some past chapters to make then more in depth, there are parts that seem rather vague to me. Sorry it took so long, life gets in the way. This is meant to provide more of an insight into their relationship and what Naruto really thinks.

**Suffocation**

"..."  
"...maybe"

"No! I've got this!"

_'Come on come on..._'

Naruto was crouched in front of a small little pit attempting to light a fire. This had always been the hardest part of setting up camp and he hated it, it would have been so much easier if he was a fire user. He was rubbing a stick against another attempting to get a spark he had gotten it twice but he couldn't maintain the friction, he was shaking too much. It was without to say extremely irritating.

Gaara had caught dinner which consisted of rabbit since he was more familiar with desert life, he had already skinned it and he was waiting for Naruto to get the fire going. The process was going longer than he had wanted it to, so he just waited.

'AHA! Look! I got it Gaara!' He was overly excited for a fire but Gaara could tell he was trying to distract himself, he seemed more easily distracted and random than usual for Naruto. He had talked nonstop during the day. "Took you awhile."

The smoke started to billow around then causing his eyes to water while Naruto fanned the flames. Naruto coughed and then rubbed his hands greedily around the pit, the desert could easily get to freezing temperatures at night.

"Alright let's get the rabbit going." He then stabbed the rabbits with a stick and placed them right by the fire. He sat back to the surprisingly warm sand but it was hard to get comfortable since he kept sinking into the sand no matter how he sat.

They sat in comfortable silence while Naruto turned to rabbits. Gaara noticed he kept scratching his arms which were an angry red. He wanted to say something but knew better than to do that, it would only make his companion feel worse, but he was curious. He had no idea what to do in this type of situation, he was certainly not the comforting type so he just stayed silent. He looked up to the sky, there was no light in the desert so the stars seemed to glow even brighter.

They had been running all day across the dunes and still had quiet the distance to go. "Where are we going?" He asked in his monotone voice.

"Uhhhhhh...I'm not completely sure." Gaara frowned at this, "so then what were you expecting to do once you left Suna?"

"Honestly I wasn't even planning on you coming with me so I was just going to ask around and see what happens...hehe" his eye twitched and he scratched his head. "Let me see the map,...you at least have a map don't you?"

"Geez I do, I'm not an idiot" he said with an eyeroll. He pulled out a crinkled map that had water damage but was still legible. "Jinchuuriki were given out to each of the hidden villages so there was a balance of power when war came and to prevent a power struggle. That being said there should be jinnchuuriki among most of the hidden villages. I don't know if lwa has one but it's more likely than the rest and closest so we'll check there."

"How do you know all this stuff ? I didn't know that." "I'm a jinchuuriki Uzumaki, you really thought I wouldn't try to find out something about them." An odor then assaulted Gaara's nose, it smelled like burning. He turned and saw one of the rabbits was dangerously close to going up in flames. Naruto followed his gaze and his eyes grew big. He ran over to the pit and repositioned the rabbit but it was already brunt around the edges "you're eating that one." "What! No fair!" "You burned it, you eat" he casually walked over and took the other one and started to eat it. Naruto then looked at the redhead with an dumfound annoyance but started eating it. They ate in silence and then they cleaned up and decided it was time for bed, well for Naruto at least.

"I'll keep watch" Gaara said. Naruto already knew about his friends insomnia, his bijuu, Shushaku always tried to take over Gaara and Gaara was most vulnerable to this when asleep. The only solution was to never sleep, _'I wonder what it's like to go through life always awake, always be so...__**present**__.'_

He just complied and rolled over on the sand trying to sleep. He was sweating and combined with the wind it turned into a cold sweat. The temperature was dropping fast and his shaking worsened. He had been tolerating the monster all day in his mind. Sometimes it would drown out everything and it would taunt him, try to break his will, but Naruto ignored it or at least tried. He kept tossing and turning trying to find a comfortable position, but every time he was remotely comfortable his rashes would get incredibly itchy or the burning cravings would constrict his body making him incredibly restless. He dug himself deeper into the sand trying to will himself asleep but it usually backfired. Instead of trying to sleep by relaxing his mind the belittling comments made from the voice would increase until he was forced to stay awake to keep from having a mental breakdown.

After ten minutes he gave up and got up and sat beside Gaara not saying a word or make eye contact. He knew the reason why he couldn't sleep but he didn't want to acknowledge it. They both just stared at the sky until the dark blue stared to ebb away into the pink and orange hues of dawn and the stars receded.

* * *

The next morning they packed everything up and left trying to pick up their pace even though it was getting harder for Naruto. The dry mouth was more pronounced than ever and having a limited water supply meant limiting the amount of water that he could drink. He was always trying to wet his mouth with saliva but it didn't help much.

The duo finally left the desert the next day and by the end Naruto was seriously near his limit. The sand got in everything and EVERYWHERE, every crack and crevice was not without it. It was dry and hot and humid so his constant sweating went from overbearing and overheating during the day to freezing cold at night. The dizziness made it extremely difficult to run with complete control. He also had extreme tension building up from the monsters nonstop talking, he needed to destroy something and there was nothing near. His muscles had the throb and aches from the first day and it had only been what? four, five day? This was a hellish nightmare.

They finally crossed into Bird Country and Naruto could not have been happier to cross into a forest with a running river. Without hesitation he jumped in and enjoyed the water take away the sweat and dirt from the desert off him. He also drank the water until his stomach hurt, which wasn't good since he threw it back up. Gaara followed but more controlled. His head bobbed up and he leaned back onto the walls surrounding the river and sighed happily. The forest was a happy green and the birds the country was known for where singing and chirping adding a relaxing feel to their surroundings. When they both got out Naruto used his wind chakra to dry himself and his clothes while Gaara wrapped himself in his sand which absorbed all the water. They refilled their canteens and decided to keep going since Bird Country was not that big. They would probably reach Earth Country around evening.

They sped by just flashes of brown and red and yellow and dark blue. Something about the forest and gave Naruto that rush of freedom he originally felt when he escaped prison. He felt a sense of nostalgia which then turned to anger and hurt. _'Stop it, stop it don't think about that.'_

Gaara noticed the shift in Naruto's behavior, the first day he had talked his ear off about everything from ramen to the sky and he had patiently listened. He had avoided the topics of Konoha and prison, but today he had been quiet, strangely quiet. Gaara wasn't sure what to expect since he escaped from prison but he knew that he wouldn't be the same. He looked over and saw a frown on his face and his face was darker, '_he's strangely tense and serious I wonder how close he is to snapping..'_. There were moments when he would look over and he would see complete distraught and anger but then it would disappear. There was something different but he wasn't sure of how Naruto's personality had changed since he was going through withdrawal. His changes in mood were pretty drastic, it was obvious he was unstable. Gaara always tried to understand everything that was going on, he was extremely curious and wanted to know about what he wouldn't talk about but if he didn't want to he would just wait until he came to him.

They had avoided all villages and cities in Bird Country and slipped past the border under the radar. Naruto was less than happy to leave Bird Country and voiced his dislike for trading forests for mountains. The mountains started almost instantly and it was gray and gloomy and slightly chilly. _'I should have brought a sweater.' _They kept going until it was completely dark out "we should set up camp here Uzumaki"

"Sure, this time _you _set up the fire and I'll catch the food." Gaara was already building the pit and started rubbing the sticks against one another. "That was exactly what I was thinking."

"Hey! It's not as easy as it looks…" Then he saw the poof of smoke and heard the cackling of the flames. "Of course it's not."

"AARGH!" He threw his hands up in the air in frustration and stomped out of the camp. He saw a flash of what looked like a deer and he crouched instantly and started stalking in. It was galloping around and he felt his muscles tingling with anticipation and his heart rate picking up. He withdrew a kunai and started following it making sure he kept to the shadows but he kicked a rock by accident. The animals head shot up and looked straight at Naruto _'shit it heard me.'_ With the flick of a wrist the animal had the kunai in its neck and thrashed a bit before falling down. Naruto smiled and dragged it back and started preparing it.

He had never hunted before, and it was a different kind of rush. Every time he had gone on missions he had always been in charge of setting up the camp with Sakura while the other two hunted. When he was doing his 'job' and every time he had ever killed it was always a rush of slight fear, nervousness and excitement. He hated that has was slightly excited but that was really the foxes fault. This was more of a thrill he felt no fear or apprehension just excitement and that scared him. He was so deep in thought he didn't hear Gaara calling him…"….ruto" but he felt the grainy texture of sand hit him in the back of the head.

"Gaara what the hell!" He looked over and Gaara was smirking "I was waiting for the deer but you didn't hear me." He handed him the deer and growled at him which Gaara wasn't expecting. Naruto then realized what he'd done "sorry,…just you know,…" he gulped "withdrawal.." he hated that word, he really did. Gaara just gave him a funny look Naruto couldn't read and he turned back to the fire.

He could feel the frustration mounting the malicious voice was there it hadn't receded, not even a little bit since he yesterday night. He always tried to push it down but it always fought back and most of the time it won and just stayed there all the time. '_Shut up shut up shut up I HATE you.' _He heard it laugh a loud booming laugh that almost split his skull and began spitting insults at him and reminding him of the feeling of the missing high his body begged for. He came back to reality and found that Gaara was already eating and staring at him, he refused to make eye contact and ate next to him so he wouldn't see him.

They finished eating and Naruto got up quickly and said in a clipped voice "Be right back." Gaara could practically see the tension on his body. His friend got up and with stiff movements he disappeared into the shadows and mountains. It didn't take long for him to feel the vibrations of rocks falling and he could sense a flare of chakra. He was panicked and immediately thought _'Akatsuki.'_ He got up quickly and rushed to the site of destruction. His mind was rushing at the idea of them attacking now. He wasn't expecting what he saw. Naruto was ramming rasengan after rasengan into the smaller mountains there was two other clones doing the same thing and he was screaming in frustration and distraught. Gaara knew what this had to do with and couldn't say he wasn't surprised since he remembered the flashes of distraught looks. This was bound to happen sooner or later. Understanding what was happening he turned back to the camp but kept more of a guarded watch in case they attracted unwanted attention.

Naruto returned after 5 minutes and sat ungracefully next to Gaara. "I was-"

"I saw everything, its fine." Naruto had a look on his face and swallowed and instantly relaxed. _'I might as well.' _His curiosity won out.

"What's it like?" He kept his eyes to the sky.

"…"

"Its fine if you don't want to say anything, just wondering."

"…."

"It's the hardest things I've ever done." He wasn't actually expecting him to say anything. "There's this constant voice always reminding me and taunting me, it makes this absolute hell. The cravings are so intense and I feel like I'm going insane" his voice cracked. "The physical symptoms are _unbearable_. The nightmares and the voice keeps me from sleeping, I'm just so tired. It feels like I'm right on the edge all the time and just barely hanging on by a finger." He said with laughing sarcasm. He then began to hear the panic creep into his voice.

"The anxiety,….and paranoia, and th-the cravings make it feel as if I'm….I'm…._suffocating_. I can't breathe sometimes and the wanting is overwhelming it's so smothering. My body is screaming and begging all the time, it never goes away, none of it does. Everything's on overdrive and I know I've hit rock bottom and I'm still there and it's like looking up…..and seeing the exit but feeling like you can't move….or even make a step towards it." He paused, "but that's just now. What happens when I'm sober and it shows up again. What if I cave and relapse?" He laughed again but it sounded strained and hollow "I could only fight it off now that I have no choice. There is no way in hell the Akatsuki is getting me, and there is no way for me to get any. We're always moving so I have no option but to move forward, I have the determination right now and it helps so much. What happens when I don't have the willpower or determination to fight it off…..what happens if I don't…._want _to fight it off the next time… Im not saying I want to ever relive this or go back but a person only has so much fight in them until something happens." Gaara looked over at him and saw him staring at the sky with sad and glassy eyes. He didn't know what to do so he nodded.

"Well I'm stuck with you now either way." He looked up at the stars and saw Naruto's head and gaze turn towards him. Naruto knew that even if he wasn't one for emotional support it was his way of saying he was promising to never leave. "Thanks Gaara."

The blond got up and stopped the fire. "What are you doing?"

"We should keep going, we're not going to get any sleep tonight and it cuts down on our travel time."

"Alright then." With that they got all their supplies and kept going. Gaara looked over to his friend and saw he was more relaxed and looked like he had a weight lifted off his shoulders.


	14. The Unexpected

**AN: **I am so sorry this has taken so long! Things pop up and this was one of the harder ones to write it, I like the concept of action scenes and fighting but having to write them is something different. Anywho, it should be smooth sailing from here on, well for awhile.

**The Unexpected**

"Where the hell is he?"  
"Maybe you shouldn't have underestimated him with your _art_."

"Hm" Deidara was not in the mood, he always tried to keep a cool attitude but the vessel was irritating him and so was Sasori. They had gone back to the site looking for any traces of the jinchuuriki but couldn't find anything. The only next logical place was to go back to Konoha to see if he had crawled back to his village. But no, he wasn't there so they had reached a dead end temporarily.

They started scouting around looking for any sources of intel. There were no reported sightings of anyone matching his appearance or anyone in his 'condition' and they ended up in Suna and with Sasori's spy network, which was the best out of all members they discovered the Ichibi jinchuuriki had gone missing. According to his sources the village was relieved to be rid of the jinchuuriki but the Kazekage had flipped out and sent troops to search for the vessel.

This piece of information had captured their interest since they didn't know much about the jinchuuriki and some of the other members had gone on missions to retrieve their files from their respective villages. They weren't aware of any links between the two but they knew there had to be something there, too much of a coincidence for them to both disappear? Deidara didn't think so. Leader had been more absorbed in the perfecting the extraction process then finding out specifics about the jinchuuriki. He told them all only their names and home villages and that that would suffice. It had been Itatchi and Kisame's mission to retrieve the Ichibi's file which they had already accomplished.

So this was where they found themselves presently; on the back of one of Deidara's birds going back to the Akatsuki base. They had no extra leads so even with Sasori's network so they could only go back to wait for the information gathered, but they didn't know how long it would take for them to return. Deidara was mumbling under his breath in anger. His partner spoke up in his usual serious monotonic voice that underlyingly dared him to repeat himself "what was that, I didn't hear you."

"Nothing, hm"

* * *

They continued until the next day only stopping for bathroom breaks and eating. They continued all through the day and finally reached Iwa around late afternoon after a day and a half. Iwa was grey just like the surrounding mountains and it was cold there. The villagers didn't look too welcoming either. Iwa's security was harder to pass through without Gaara's glare to let then through. They managed to convince them to let them pass with Naruto feigning death, he didn't look to hot either so it helped out a lot.

"We were attacked by bandits, my friend needs to get to the hospital. We're hurt." Gaara said with urgent sternness. To make their acting more convincing they had stabbed each other, not too deep though. It seemed extreme but they couldn't possibly say they were here to trade or traveling considered how dirty and worn they looked they couldn't pass off as family either saying they were visiting relatives.

The guards just looked at them with alert. The boys looked disheveled and dirty and no older than fourteen. "Where did they go to?"

"I don't remember, we fought them off but they escaped."

"Alright then, we will get someone to escort you to the hospital since it is urgent but after wards we will need your paperwork to allow you to escape." Gaara nodded "yes, thank you." They called over two nearby ninjas. They had serious looks on their faces and didn't look too friendly. Naruto was slightly slumped against Gaara and this caused him to wince, acting or not they had still stabbed themselves, this was probably Naruto's worst idea to date. "Do you need help carrying him?" one of the ninjas nodded to Gaara. Gaara just shook his head "alright then." They turned quickly and lead the two to the hospital.

Naruto never liked hospitals, he hated staying in its sterile cold whiteness but he always winded up in there. He had told Kyuubi to not heal him until they could escape. They were brought in and immediately placed in a room where a nurse checked their vitals. She looked at Naruto and could tell there was something else going on, she lifted an eyelid and flashed a mini flashlight that he squirmed away from "Hon, what's wrong?" She voice dripped concern and authority. Gaara interrupted "we already told you, we were ambushed by bandits." The nurse just looked at him reluctantly and suspiciously but nodded "I'll go call a doctor." She turned and left the room closing the curtain behind her.

Naruto looked at Gaara and said in a rushed voice "let's go." Gaara opened a nearby window "can you walk?" his condition had remained the same since they left Suna, he wondered if the constant unsteady shaking would cause him to collapse at any second. "Of course I can walk, we have to keep moving." Naruto didn't like how Gaara regarded him as if he was weak, he knew he was for now, but he didn't want the reminder.

They rushed out of the window onto the rooftops and silently shut the window and continued to jump along the rooftops into an alley and down onto the city streets.  
The bijuus had already began healing their containers, Gaara could heal himself, he had a faster healing rate than most humans but not as nearly as significant as Naruto's. Simply generating chakra into the body's healing process would speed it up. "Where should we look?" "I think the only thing we could do now it to search the town in hopes of finding some trace of him or her. It's not like we can ask people around."

"Yea you're right, I'm hungry let's get something to eat while we're at it." His stomach was practically communicating through growls that sounded strangely similar to chantings of '_food...food'_

They ended up at a little food stand that overlooked the main center of the village. They were both eating rice and dumplings while watching the crowds for anything or one that stood out. He had quit using chopsticks since could grip anything due to his shakiness. The sun was setting and was casting longer shadows making the scene look happily peaceful. Shadows. In popped the image of Shikamaru and his lazy pineapple head. He remembered how he didn't say goodbye and left him standing in the rain. He frowned at himself and tried not to feel guilty, I seemed as if that voice always tried to pick at his every doubt and weakness and exploit it. He frowned at himself and willed himself to pay attention _'now's not the time_' he scolded himself.

They had finished and were beginning to leave when they heard "hey you! Come back here you're in trouble!" They both turned and saw the two ninjas that had escorted them from earlier running towards them. They blended into the crowds and began running, they could still see the ninja following. They were exhausted from running almost nonstop and the ninja were gaining on them.

They reached a huge wall of people that were pushing themselves away from something and eventually they saw the circle begin to form around them. _'They caught us, we're so screwed_.' He shut his eyes waiting to be caught but he still felt no movement around him and opened an eye.

He saw that the ninja had glares of hatred and contempt on their faces directed towards a person standing between themselves and the boys. Naruto felt a huge shadow fall on him and saw red, more specifically red armor, it covered every part of him. He was shocked and his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "Stand down, we have to take them to the Tsuchikage for fleeing and acting suspiciously." The man stood up until he was up in their face and said in a low voice "I will take them." The ninja paled a little bit but held their ground "no we have a responsibility to take them."

"I will gladly take that responsibility from you. I will take them" he responded in a clipped voice. The ninja looked at each other and faltered at the sound of his voice. "Very well then" they responded with anger, swiveled on their heels and left.

The crowd was whispering but then parted like lava from them when he kept walking "let's go." They left a distinct pathway wherever they walked. They ended up in a corner near an alleyway and he faced them. There was a moment of silence before anyone of them spoke. Naruto noticed the man was colossal, he was extremely tall and probably extremely strong. His eyes were covered by the wide brim of his red hat but he could feel his stare on him.

There was also something strangely familiar about him. '_Gobi…' _ Kyuubi said in a low voice.

The man spoke up "what are you doing here?" He looked at then suspiciously and appeared to stare into them rather than at them. They both looked dirty and sweaty one more so than the other. The redhead had a look of indifference. He had black rings around his eyes and looked exhausted. The other looked sick, bags under his eyes, he could see he was anxious, fidgeted and twitched occasionally, was sweating and shaking excessively also. "Why did you help us?" he said in a raspy whisper.

He honestly had saved them on a whim, but he could feel it. He had felt that around only one other person but HE KNEW, they were jinchuuriki. He was curious, they were together when they should've been at their villages. He pitied them seeing how they looked and were being chased. He remembered what it had been like and they were about to get caught so he figured he should have stepped in. "Answer me first, you're jinnchuuriki, what are you doing here?" The blonde's eyes grew wide "how did you know?"

"I could feel it about a mile away and you were attracting attention."

He knew there was something about him, it was strange since he had never met him but it felt as if they'd met before. **'We once came from the same being, you can sense other jinchuuriki.'**

_'You all came from one being?_

**'Yes Kit but that's a story for some other day.'**

The man felt something was wrong. He turned his head and saw huge gray billows of smoke rise against the surprisingly clear blue sky. He noticed it was coming from a distance and in the general direction it was coming from. _'Fire!_'

He turned on his heel and ran in the direction of the smoke. Gaara started running after him.  
"Gaara! We don't know where he's going! What are you doing?"

"He helped us and I'd rather not wait for those ninja to find us again." He said with his normally stoic face_. 'He can't be serious.'_ After waiting a little bit and realizing he wasn't coming back Naruto huffed and ran after them his anxiety worsening.

* * *

The Mission was complete. It had taken no longer than a day to complete, it was relatively easy, and most importantly it was good pay. Leader had stressed remaining in the shadows and if they came across one of their multiple targets it was advised to lay low.  
That was just fine with him this mission was too easy.  
He just wanted to get to the base and take a break. It seemed as if more missions were flooding in, they had recently come from a mission to terminate a council member in Sky Country. It was easy but worth the money, money was ALWAYS worth it. It only made sense or not they wouldn't say money made the world go round.

This was how he judged everything on his moral compass and so far it had not ceased to fail him.

The file had been hidden in a safe behind a wall and not one had seen then slip in and out. No one had seen them which meant that no one got killed which was why Hidan was having a moment. "I need sacrifices to give to Jashin. What's the damn point of going on damn missions and being a damn S-class killer if you can't kill any damn mortals!"

"Shut up you just killed mortals on our last mission to _your_ Jashin." "Fucking dickhead Kakuzu it needs to happen on a regular basis. I need something more substantial in my life than just money you greedy bastard."

"Your religion is a waste of time." He was wearing on his tolerance, Hidan stopped walking and swung his scythe at Kakuzu who swiftly blocked.

They were making their way towards the outskirts of the village. They had two files one of the Yonbi and the other of the Gobi. They neared a house on the far outskirts of the village, it was an average house and it was concealed by the surrounding mountains. He noticed a man in the back and could sense a really large chakra reserve and strong presence. The file stated that the two jinchuuriki lived in the outskirts of the village, the description sounded right. He noticed Hidan looking at him. He glanced at the picture in the file "don't attempt anything stupid, he is the Yonbi jichuuriki we were told to stay low. There will be consequences if you kill him or if Leader finds out."

"I'm no imbecile, I am aware. Screw Leader! Besides, he did say we were going after them, I'm making this easier for us in the future when we do come after them. It would be funner if the Gobi was here too, but this will do. I doubt they will alert anyone anyway, most people despise the the fucking jinchuuriki let alone want to help them, on one will know. I haven't fought anyone worth my time lately." The Jashinist then bowed on one knee and started praying to his lord.

Roshi was waiting for his brother to come back, he had gone out to buy groceries and still hadn't come back. _'Where the hell is he! I'm starving!' _Han was usually the one who would go into the village for those little mundane things since Roshi hated going. Well, Han hated going but Roshi always forced him to.

He was on his back porch watching the sunset feeling oddly peaceful. He felt two presences and they were extremely powerful. Turning he saw a tan man approach him, he had grey hair slicked back, purple eyes, a headband from the Hot Water village. He was wearing a cloak with red clouds, and was carrying a scythe. He gave him an amused and sadistic grin.

Without a word he came at him and stared swinging and laughing like a crazy person. Roshi dodged out of the way and was caught off guard. The man was clearly insane. "What the hell are you? What do you want?" "I know who you are and your brother, I just came to have some fun."

This guy was rubbing him the wrong way and Roshi started fighting back, he was blocking and dodging the scythe which the man swung effortlessly. Roshi went to kick him in the side, but the man backflipped into the air and landed without noise. Roshi noticed that there was another man standing at a distance watching them.

The man had green eyes and the whites of his eyes were a dark purple. He wore the same robe, and had a forehead protector and mouth cover that attached to a hood around his face. His forehead protector said the Waterfall village.

'_I can take them but it won't be easy. Where's Han….'_ Roshi pulled out a kunai and used it to block the scythe's attempted swing at him. They continued like this in unison of the metal clashing against metal. Roshi swung his legs out attempting to sweep out the man's feet out from under him but he back flipped away. Roshi then jumped up in the air and went through hand signals. "Lava Release: Scorching Flow Fist" his fist covered in a steaming molten lava and he landed a punch square in the scythe man's back as he flipped away. This sent the man flying into a nearby tree.

He waited and watched the other man who made no move to attack whatsoever, he stood by a tree impassively watching them. "Looks like the fun's really going to get started, huh?" The man stood up and black smoke surrounded him. Roshi was a little unnerved, not many people could take a direct hit from that and still get up. He was creepily grinning and came at him again with vigor, it seemed he was enjoying himself too much.

The scythe came dangerously close and Roshi jumped back and twisted in the air and he went through quick hand signals again. "Fire Release: Small Fire Stream" he generated more chakra into the attack and followed the man as he barely dodged. He realized the proximity of his battle to his house but it was too late and the flames licked at the wood of the back porch and within seconds they were spreading. Roshi's grinded his teeth not letting the shock and slight panic reach his face and kept it levelled and glared at the man.

He was given no time to do anything about it as the man kept coming back at him swinging with the attempt to decimate him. The smoke was getting thicker and it was slightly hard to breathe he was temporarily blinded but he felt a kick connect with his side and the hard flatness of the ground hit his face. He saw the scythe above him and tried to swing down, shot his arms and legs out to prevent it from coming too close for comfort. "Hidan remember what I told you." _'Hidan….this guy's crazy. I have to get that scythe away from him.'_

"Relax, I know what I'm doing. Stay out of this."

Roshi was starting to have trouble seeing Hidan due to the smoke surrounding them. He pushed harder with one leg while the other swept out his legs from under him. The sudden movement caused the scythe to change directions and cut his forearm. He felt it cut him easily but it wasn't too deep.

"Finally! That took too fucking long" He felt Hidan's scythe back off and he got to his feet. He saw Hidan go back to where he had crashed into the tree and he saw him lick his blood off of the scythe. His skin turned black and white markings that appeared to look somewhat like a skeleton's bones appeared and he stepped into a marking on the ground. It was a triangle inside of a circle. _'What is this..' _He stepped inside the circle and said "Don't you like it? You feel anything I feel." He started laughing again and then used is scythe to cut across his forearm.

Roshi was shocked when he felt the pain and saw the blood coming freely from the wound. He took a couple steps forward to stop him but was stopped by stinging feeling in his chest and fell to one knee. He felt the warm feeling of blood coming from his chest and saw Hidan smiling creepily and had a sort of happy look on his face. _'It's almost as if he gets some type of high from the pain. Crap, I can't get near him without him killing me, but if I stay he's still going to inflict more pain.' _He looked up at the skeleton man and glared at him.

Han maneuvered around the terrain with ease and came upon the sight on his house on fire. The flames were already consuming the house and he didn't know have a water affinity, so all he could do was watch. The black smoke was billowing around and he felt Roshi's presence and two foreign ones.

He came upon a scene of a strange skeleton looking man with a scythe inside a triangle within a circle. He was grinning like a wolf and Roshi was on one knee and bleeding. He went over to Roshi and picked him up. "I can walk." "Fine, what happened! And why is my house on fire!"

Roshi looked at his brother and decided right now was not the best time to admit his mistake so he ignored the question. "This lunatic came over here and started attacking me, he took some of my blood and performed some type of jutsu so now when he inflicts pain on himself I also feel it."

Hidan could not believe his luck, his plan was to just have fun with the Yonbi but now the Gobi showed up. This was getting interesting and now he had real sacrifices, they brought their what appeared to be students. _'The blond one looks weak, the redhead should be just fine, fuck that I'll take both. Jashin-sama will be pleased.'_

He stepped outside of the circle and had some doubt of whether he could take both but it would be a cold day in hell before he willingly asked Kakuzu for help if he wasn't going to die, which was ironic because he couldn't die.

The link was broken temporarily and he went after the boys who were standing off to the side. "I must say thank you for the sacrifices, even though it was stupid to give me your students." He swung his scythe at both of them and they dodged but just barely. He felt something rub against him and saw sand wrapping around him. Hidan felt a punch to the face as the blond kid kicked him. He felt a stronger kick hit him straight in the chest and he was sent skidding across the floor. He saw the Gobi standing over him.

Hidan got up quickly and checked his surroundings, the smoke was getting darker and he saw both jinchuuriki and their students in a fighting stance. He grit his teeth_ 'damn.' _He bolted for the seal and dodged a kick sent by the blond and as about to be punched by the Yonabi when he saw him go flying by a kick from Kakuzu. "Asshole I can do this."

"You are taking too long I want to take a break already." He didn't want Kakuzu fighting in his battle even if he had helped him. He got back to the seal and then broke one of his fingers which made a sickening crack. He heard a grunt in response. "Give up your students and I let your friend live." He was bluffing if he killed one of the jinchuuriki Leader would be mad, not like he cared but he didn't need the extra trouble.

There was a tense silence "they're not my students." Roshi was glaring at him, "you can have them, just leave." He didn't care he didn't even know them.

Hidan was very happy know and Kakuzu heard a gasp. He heard the blond say "Gaara, what are we going to do?" He heard that name somewhere before….Gaara. Wait for it. Wait for it. Click. _'Ichibi jinchuuriki.'_ He had heard all the names of all the jinchuuriki but he hadn't expected the Ichibi to be here also. He hadn't bothered to check before but he analyzed them, the blond boy had larger reserves than all of them. They were all jinchuuriki, they had to tell the others. What they were all doing together he did not know but it didn't seem like good news.

"Hidan we have to go, we have matters to attend to."

"WHAT! NO Dammit Kakuzu I'm not leaving yet until I get my sacrifices."

"We must leave now, whether you choose to come with me is up to you." He turned away from them and started to head back to the base. He didn't bother to see if Hidan was coming he eventually would.

They all looked at each other for about a minute before anybody said anything. Hidan was pissed he was so close but if Kakuzu left there must have been a reason. He couldn't cause anymore destruction either, at least without wanting to alert anyone in the village. He growled at them "this isn't over."

They watched him step out of the circle revert back to a normal looking human being, which he obviously was not and disappear into the surrounding mountains after his partner.

By the time they left their house was completely burned down and he wasn't sure what to say. He was just supposed to buy groceries yet this day had taken a bad turn. Roshi was hurt, they had been attacked, and he had no idea what to do with the two kids that were standing there.

"Roshi, I already asked, what happened to my house?"

"It's my house too Han"

"Roshi."

"I accidently lit it on fire when I was fighting them"

"You burned down our house"

"Uh, yea by accident"

"By accident"

Han massaged his temples from his impending headache, what the hell were they going to do now?


	15. Deja Vu

**AN: **So this is, just saying, AU so things about the war are going to be different and somethings aren't. Just btw Madara isn't going to be god-like ridiculously strong and neither are the other ninjas, it bothers me how they're practically god-like, it's cool but a tad bit excessive, but that just may be me. Also there is going to be stuff after the war ends so the plot isn't just centered around that.

I don't own Naruto but that doesn't stop my wishful thinking.

**Deja Vu**

The Akatsuki were already on the move, and he knew was running out of time. He had to go warn the others but seeing how everything had just played out he knew they couldn't just separate. Their best chances were by sticking together.

"Look right now I know that what just happened was…weird but there's a reason that we're here. Do you know who those people were?"

"Yes"  
"No"

"They're the Akatsuki, they're mercenary ninjas. They're after us, I ran into one that tried to capture me and I warned Gaara and that's why you" he looked to Han "found us together. We traveled quite a distance to come here, they're after you, and you, they're after all of us."

Roshi and Han said nothing for awhile they looked serious and hesitant but then nodded. "Thanks kid we'll tell the Tsuchikage."

"No, don't say anything just come with us." He had a serious expression on his face, that face, he knew he'd seen it before...

"No, we would be defecting from the village, we will warn the Tsuchikage." They had permission to leave the village as they pleased but he didn't want to, two random children popping out of the blue and all of this was a little sketchy.

"Would he really help you? Would he really believe you? Gaara didn't believe me and he knew who they were and I doubt the Tsuchikage is going to listen to you just because some strangers attacked you, and they didn't even say anything!"

"That's why you're coming with us."

"What! No! We can't go we ran away from the ninja that were sent to bring us to the Tsuchikage, we left our villages to come warn you, if you say anything they'll sent us back and who will warn the rest? We'll be punished for trying to stop them! You could barely fight off one without him, what happens when they come back and there's more than one or one of you is cornered and overpowered? I don't have control over my bijuu's power and what if the others don't either? We can get rid of them by ourselves without telling anyone, they will target your village if you stay here. We don't have to get the Elemental nations involved, you don't have to get your _loved ones _involved. If worst comes to worst they find out. We _need _to stick together and when all of this is over you can bring evidence of some sort to prove that you didn't defect. We wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't important." Naruto was panting he had said that nonstop and he was already winded. He wasn't sure it would work, they did live alone on the outskirts of the village.

"It seems you don't have much of a choice since you already burned your own house down to the ground."

Naruto's sweat dropped "sorry about him hehe" and he scratched the back of his head. He turned to Gaara and whispered "the hell Gaara!? You just don't say stuff like that to people."

He received a blink in response "is it not true?" Naruto just sighed in return. He turned back to the two people in front of him. "So what's it going to be."

Roshi and Han exchanged glances and Roshi spoke up "we'll go with you." The armored man spoke up "I'm going to take him to the hospital first, it'll be faster, I understand you're in a rush, you kids should come you don't look too well."

"Err, the reason the guards were after us is because we sort of...left the hospital after faking injury and then leaving so…no. We'll wait here."

The armored man nodded in return and they stared walking towards the village. "Wait what are your names?"

The blond said with a small smile "Naruto. That's Gaara." He pointed to the redhead that was sitting against a tree.

* * *

"I can't believe we're doing this..."

"This is obviously a threat bigger than just us we have a responsibility since they're after us. I doubt the Akatsuki have good intentions…" Roshi was panting and the crowds once again parted like lava trying to put as much distance between them and themselves. Roshi sighed he really didn't like coming into the center of the village.

They finally arrived at the hospital where they were given weary glances. Roshi stopped healing himself and lied down feeling the green chakra close him back up. The nurse quickly treated them wanting them to get out as soon as possible. "I think it's best if we go talk to him…"

Roshi looked out the window in the hospital. "Yeah, I figured."

They sat in chair that was outside the Tsuchikage's office. This place was always busy they, once they had to wait twenty-five minutes to see him. The door opened and a very panicked ninja speed walked out. "Come in!" a deep voice barked.

They saw him sitting at his desk with a visible frown on his face, but then again he never really smiled. The man was short, very short with a big pink nose, bushy white eyebrows, white hair in a ponytail and black eyes that always seemed to calculate your every move. His eyebrows arched when he noticed them.

"Oonki-sama I'm leaving the village again, and this time I'm bringing Han."

The man visibly tensed and focused his direct stare on him "why Roshi? You've been here, what a year? You should stay more, how can you expect anything to improve if you're always leaving."

"I am sorry Tsuchikage-sama but you know my reasons for leaving the village as frequently as I do. Tensions have been rising between us and the villagers and I think it would be best if we travelled again. Han seems to need a vacation, Tsuchikage-sama. I think it would be best for everyone if we left for awhile."

"I would prefer you both not leaving, but I see your point. You have my permission, but you can't travel for too long. This needs to be dealt with."

"Thank you, Tsuchikage-sama." They turned to leave "…this is the last time you leave for awhile, when you come back you _will_ start trying and you _will_ be forced to stay next time." He narrowed his eyes at them and they both nodded in agreement and then exited his office. If only he knew.

* * *

Naruto went to sit by Gaara and leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes.

"You forgot to ask for their names."

Narutos eyes snapped open, "they'll come back won't they? They have to! I swear I will go back and hunt them if they don't come back." He had a pout on his face and crossed his arms.  
He felt Gaaras stare on him and a knowing look in his eyes "what?"

He shrugged "where are we going next?" Naruto pulled out his map and started looking at it. "We'll go to Kumo, I'm almost certain they have one. The country is huge. We can ask them when they come back they probably know more we do."

He was hungry and tired but pushed those thoughts out of his head, he felt strange. Every thing felt surreal, they had practically begged strangers to join them but he felt that familiarity around them. As weird as it sounds it was a like déjà vu almost, a good déjà vu. He closed his eyes for what felt like a minute but he soon fell asleep. He was awoken by the sounds of people around him talking.

He saw the other two jinchuuriki and Gaara talking. He sighed with tiredness wanting to go back to his dreamless unconsciousness. They all looked at him when he sighed and he lifted himself off the tree with a yawn. The world was spinning again and moved his tongue in his mouth to get rid of its dryness but it didn't last.

They were all kind of shaky and blurry so he stood still for a moment to be able to speak without throwing up his dumplings. He smiled "good, you're here. We should go now, we don't know how much time we have left."

"Are you sure you look like you're going to pass out gaki." The red headed bearded man said to him with a suspicious look.

"No, we don't know how much of a head start they have on us, this'll pass, I just have the flu." Naruto gave the man a look and walked past them and started moving passing through the landscape even though everything ached. Naruto moved to the front not wanting them to see his face, he chose to listen and tune into the landscape surrounding him.

Then he remembered "you never told us your names." The red armored man sped up to match Naruto's pace "I'm Han, the Gobi jinchuuriki. My brother is Roshi, the Yonabi."

"Brothers? You look nothing alike."

"We're brothers, but not by blood." Naruto nodded and then he heard the Yonabi jinchuuriki "where are we stopping at next?"

"Kumo" Naruto said over his shoulder. "Kumo? Why Kumo, what about Takigakure?"

"Why would we go to Takigakure? It makes more sense to go to Kumo."

"Taki is closer and it has a jinchuuriki."

"Wait, it does? How do you know?"

"We've travelled all around the Elemental Nations, you eventually find out little things like that. Maybe we should stop soon and set up camp, it's not too far from here."

Naruto nodded, he was really sleepy, no matter what was currently happening in his mind and body. They stopped, and Naruto could tell they were somewhere closer to the border since he saw trees starting to sparsely appear.

The group started to set up camp, it was awkward. The silence made him very self-aware of how he looked. He was dirty, and he sniffed himself _'Kami, I need a shower.'_ He caught Han's intense eye, which was a hazel color. Han was leaned over and had already set up the pit and Roshi lit it with a small stream of fire. There was underlying amusement in his deep voice "there's a river not too far from here. Maybe you kids should go…"

"Yeah, gaki I can smell you from here."

Naruto felt his face somewhat hot "hey! I've been running for Kami knows how long trying to warn your asses! Hmmph, Let's go." He pouted and grabbed Gaara's arm and zoomed out of there. As they neared away from the camp fire he could hear a booming laugh that could only be assumed to be Roshi's.

"That ass! He was laughing at me! I have not found any rivers and I've been busy saving his ass!...Gaara?"

During his ranting he had failed to notice that his red headed friend had already started the process of cleaning himself and he had dunked his head underwater for a second. Gaara was very uncomfortable with being in a moving river, growing up in the desert he hadn't been taught how to swim well. It had never been a priority. The thought of drowning was not appeasing so he was attempting to get in and out as fast as possible. He was very tired and Naruto was truly testing his patience. "Are going to get in or keep complaining."

He growled in response "fine." Gaara was almost out so Naruto stared to rush, he didn't want to be out alone with the possibility of Akatsuki near. "Wait for me Gaara." Gaara lied against the rocky edges and tried to relax himself waiting for Naruto finish. He had already wrung out his clothes and he wanted to eat and do nothing for a couple hours. He noticed that he could see Naruto's ribs, just enough for it to be visible. He knew what he'd gone through during prison and how he hadn't eaten a lot when he still had his habit. He looked almost like his old self in the moonlight, almost. His face and body in the light said differently though.

The boys got out and Naruto used his wind chakra to dry them and their clothes. When they headed back they smelled food and they nonchalantly rushed back.

"We caught food this time, next time is your turn."

Naruto started to eat the mystery meat but be didn't care, it was probably deer or something.  
"We need to discuss what we are going to do, in terms of the Akatsuki."  
Naruto nodded "Do you have control of your bijuu?"

Roshi was hesitant "I have good control of his chakra but control all of it no."  
"And you?"  
Han was sitting against a tree "we are on good terms but I don't use it's power, I didn't want to have to rely on it or have the possibility of losing complete control. Do you?"

"No, I reached a one tail cloak, but that was it."  
He looked towards Gaara "I have good control but not complete. We are not on good terms." Han nodded "what villages do you come from, so we won't have to stop there."

"Suna"  
"Konoha"

"About the Akatsuki, the only thing we can do right now is get the rest and then train. I never wanted to have to rely on Kyuubi but I think we're going to have to." Naruto looked up at the sky.

"We don't know how big of a threat they are, for now the best we can do is train so we have a chance against them." Gaara's monotone voice spoke up.

Roshi laughed, "you're the Kyuubi jinchuuriki? I expected someone a little...older and less childish looking more intimidating. Like your friend, who's your bijuu?"

"Ichibi, Shukaku" Roshi nodded.

Naruto opened his mouth but no noise came out. "Screw you! You're the one who was willingly going to give us up to the enemy!"  
"I didn't know who the hell you were. I _**was not **_going to give myself up for you, sorry gaki. I figured no hard feelings."

"No hard feelings!"

"Yes, no hard feelings. I still came and left my village and my house was burned down to the ground." He looked at Gaara "in the process. So yea, no hard feelings, gaki."

Naruto mumbled defeated "yea yea no hard feelings."

Han knew that Roshi also felt a sense of,...déjà vu around them. They were warming up to the kids rather quickly which was not normal but the sense of familiarity seemed to break the ice, but there was something off about them.

The blonde had been shaking and sweating and he knew Roshi noticed it, the flu? It seemed right, but there was something there that didn't clear say 'the flu.' The redhead was also peculiar, he was very intimidating, for a child, gave an aura of death to all that dared to give him a bad look. Psychopathic? Maybe. He always seemed bored or indifferent or impassive and not much of a talker. He also had a tattoo for love above his eye, ironic? Yes, indeed it was. He did not seem like the type to want love anything.

They were obviously previously friends, they sat together like friends and they were comfortable together. They were close since Gaara didn't scream 'be my friend' and they always seemed to be around each other and they made rather odd friends. Actually as a group they made an odd bunch. A big red armored guy, a shorter red headed ponytailed, bearded man, a sickly blond kid that looked strangely like someone. He would have to remind himself to ask later. And a red headed child that showed little to no emotion and gave off a bad psychotic vibe, definitely not something you see everyday.

They cleaned up and Gaara said "I'm keeping watch."

"I'll switch off with you, just wake me up."

"No I'll keep watch the whole night. I'm not one for sleeping."  
So he was an insomniac, made sense with those rings around his eyes. Han did not miss the look Roshi gave him, without a doubt this whole 'situation' would be memorable if the rest of the jinchuuriki were like those two.

* * *

It was odd, they were intimidated by him. It was probably because they were older, but he had still managed to scare most adults away in Suna. He was leaning back against a tree trunk, Han two trees away, he seemed calm and reserved. Roshi was around the fire leaning against a log with his head back and his mouth slightly open. He was obviously more talkative than his brother but he still seemed wise regardless of how he had teased Uzumaki earlier. Naruto was laying two feet away and even if he was sleeping for the first time since they met up he was shivering.

Without really thinking out it his sand slid out of his gourd and covered Naruto, it was actually quite nice out.

At daybreak Gaara woke up Naruto who was having another nightmare. He had had them continuously through the night and when he opened his eyes he saw fear in them and his breathing was ragged. He noticed his surroundings and immediately calmed down.

He had lost track of the days in this hell. _'Water, water.'_ Gaara was standing above him and handed him a canteen which he took gratefully. He chugged it but it wasn't enough. He got up and went to the river to refill it feeling dizzy the entire way and he felt his stomach lurching and the bile rising in his throat. He reached to refill it and saw his reflection even though he didn't want to.

His bags were still there and dark purple, the sweat might as well been a permanent thing, his eyes were still cerulean blue but he noticed something different, he couldn't pinpoint it but he knew he had changed, how could he not? He also noticed a new rash, it was on his collar bone and looking at it made him itchy all over. He looked away and with frustratingly shaking hands he filled it. The monsters voice suddenly came to the forefront at full blast. _'Stop.'_ Naruto looked at his arms, blotchy red, and goose bumped. He stared at his hands trying to make them stop he held his hands together and put them close to his body and leaned over, his face near the water's surface. They still wouldn't stop _'just make it go __**away**__.'_ Tears of frustration made their way to his eyes but didn't fall.

"**I can't just **_**make**_** it go away Kit, and you just can't **_**will **_**it away."**

'_How much longer, I don't know how much more I can take.'_ Trying to be like his former self and smile really took it out of him, when he really just wanted to scream and make it go away _just make it go away all of it._

"**You should have a couple of days left but I'm not certain."**

'_Just fucking peachy.'_ His nostrils flared and he was squeezing his hand still trying to will it to stop. He leaned against a nearby tree and hit the back of his head against the trunk repeatedly. Then he felt the bile rising again and stumbled over to the river where he threw up twice. He was on all fours clutching his stomach with everything screaming, monster taunting and whispering sweet twisted lies of relief. Looking at himself like that in the reflection made the cravings increase. It was like the itch you can't scratch that mocks you until it drives you crazy. How something that was so small grew so big, so consuming he didn't know. He needed it, he desperately needed it. Every part of his body pulsed for a hit, coaxing him to make it go away, with promises of that feeling of pleasure he hadn't felt in awhile. The promise of the high greeting him like a long lost friend. The light feeling that went from the tallest hair on his head to the very tips of his toes and enveloped him and a caress that made him never want to leave its deathly grip.

And leaving its vice like grip was the hardest thing he'd ever done. It was like a relationship, he'd never been in one but it was he'd imagine one would be like, well a bad one. He was the victim, he was the weak one that had let it happen in the first place. He had been lucky though, he got out early. Another couple of months or a year later and it would've been worse, and that he didn't know if he could survive, he was just barely holding on to sanity as it was. He had escaped the vicious cycle that most would have gone through. But who was to say that the monster wouldn't seek him out like a jealous girlfriend and drag him by the hair back kicking and screaming back to the place he had escaped? All his body said was that he needed it and he didn't know how far he'd go to get it. But that was temporary, he still had his will, his self-control no matter how close it was to slipping he would grab it. He would hold it in an iron fist and hold it close, because once this was over he wouldn't have to deal with it.

He knew that there were other monsters a whole assortment, other vices and to not be tempted by them was unrealistic but it was the hope that he would leave the blue monster behind that was what made him strong. It was his strong, stupid hope.

"Gaki, let's go. Vain aren't we?"

"Huh? No! I was just refilling my canteen. Let's go. How long until we reach Taki?"

"We should reach it later today, couple of hours" Han spoke in his deep voice. They were all standing there, watching him. He got up and the two brothers moved to the front to lead. He was walking toward Gaara who was staring at him, "what now?" He rolled his eyes in a dramatic way with a small smile on his face. He noticed the look Gaara gave him his eyes holding a glint of something he didn't know, he had instantly noticed it in all their eyes. Naruto didn't know how long they had stood there, watching him, but he knew, they knew more than they led on.


	16. Change of Plans

**AN: **I think clarification is needed. 1) This is under the genre ANGST and ADVENTURE, that being said I will point my weapon at you to make feel what is called 'the feels.' If you do not have emotional tolerance and hoped that this was just about beating the bad guys well, sorry to disappoint, it is more about was is underneath. 2) This is AU. 3)I have decided to make the bijuu based more on the Japanese legends themselves, but some will stay the same. 4) I have decided that this will be NaruSasu, there will be a small harem, please don't hate me for this, you don't like that well you can leave, no hard feelings. Once again that being said, this will happen in the future, the far future. If you aren't going to stick around, that's fine, if you are well then…. ;). This shall be fun, I plan to actually finish this because I have YET to come across a story like this that actually is COMPLETE. Sorry for the longness of this.

I do not own Naruto but I vow that I will make this and to the best of my creative genius' abilities. I promise this to you on my goldfish's life.

**Change of Plans**

The forest was dense, but pleasant. It was a very vibrant green and was buzzing with life, if he didn't already have a village he would have totally seen himself living here. He knew that would never happen though, he was loyal to Iwa, but this place would no doubt be more pleasant, and Roshi had burned his house down. Their house was burned down, they had lost all their material possessions but they were lucky they didn't have any sentimental items in there.

"We shouldn't be that far from the village. We won't actually need to enter since the jinchuuriki doesn't live in the village but in the surrounding area." Roshi stated

"They don't live in the village?" Gaara asked.

"No, it's a smaller village and the villagers live in fear of them so the village leader made them live near the border."

Han asked "why?"

"I'm not sure, I only found out about them when I visited and overheard villagers gossiping."

Naruto asked "Do you know _where _around the village they live."

"Nope, not a clue, but we can search for them, it shouldn't take too long."

They all agreed and decided that it would be best to stay together incase the Akatsuki was near. They stopped when they saw the village gates and decided to search the perimeter of the village. They were walking and they all felt a pull north of them. They all knew they felt it because they all stopped at the same time. Naruto looked to Gaara and got a nod in response.

They were walking completely blind going based on only the feeling. They came across a small clearing with what appeared to be a normal house. There was nothing special about it, but it looked out of place there. Naruto knew this was the house because the jinchuuriki's presence was stronger. Quite frankly, Naruto didn't know what to do, this person was placed outside their own village for some reason, Han and Roshi had been on the outskirts but not outside the village itself. Naruto began having his doubts about the whole situation, what if the Akatsuki were nearby, using the jinchuuriki as bait? What if the jinchuuriki attacked them? He couldn't pick up on chakra signatures nearby but that didn't mean it wasn't a possibility. It was strangely quiet compared to gathering the rest.

Since nobody had moved and they were just standing there looking at the house Gaara decided to state what they were contemplating "someone should go knock." Naruto said "yea, er…who wants to go?" Roshi quickly offered, "I think you and the gaki should go." At the mention of them they glared at Roshi who had a serious look on his face "go, we'll watch your backs from this safe distance."

Naruto narrowed his glare but sighed in preparation, Gaara was leading the way, it was strangely peaceful considering the potential risk of knocking on a door. Gaara had his usual stoic face and Naruto put on his poker face. Naruto knocked sternly at the door, it sounded odd clashing against the sound of the birds and rustling of the leaves. He wiped his annoyingly sweaty face and frowned slightly at himself.

A couple seconds later he knocked but the door was swung open "_what" _the voice said in clearly communicated annoyance. At the door was a sight he wasn't expecting. Most jinchuuriki were feared, it came with the label but from what he had heard he was expecting someone more,…intimidating and for some reason he pictured a man.

The jinchuuriki was a girl, and she appeared to look about the same age as Gaara and Naruto. She had mint colored hair with an orange clip in it, orange pupiless eyes, and was tan. She wore a white skirt, cut off halter top with matching sleeves that weren't attached that slipped down and her forehead protector wrapped around her arm.

She studied them, neither Gaara or Naruto said anything and them she cocked her head to the side and squinted at them. She got close to Gaara's face a few inches away and squinted, he looked a little uncomfortable but his stare didn't waver then she faced Naruto and did the same. Her intense stare made Naruto stare back with equal intensity. She looked confused and said "…you're like me."

It was obvious that the Akatsuki hadn't reached her yet so he signaled for the other two to come out. The mint haired colored girl followed their gaze and her eyes grew bigger. When they stood in front of her she looked at them like she was sizing them up. She dropped her stare and smiled a wide smile "come in."

'_Girls are strange.'_ They walked in and Naruto noticed that it looked cozy inside. There were couches around a chimney, a bookcase, and he noticed a piano in the corner. He saw a small hallway his right, the kitchen and a door directly to his right. "You're like me! You're a jin..jin something!" She was grinning in an excited way.

Naruto was a little shocked _'she doesn't know a whole lot about jinchuuriki…'_ "Yea, we're all jinchuuriki, like you. I'm Naruto the Kyuubi jinchuuriki." She plopped down on her couch and gestured for them to join her, and they all sat across from her. Naruto sunk into the couch and immediately fell in love. He noticed that Gaara relaxed next to him and he nudged him. Gaara looked at him from the corner of his eye "Gaara, Ichibi jinchuuriki."

"Han, the Gobi"

"Roshi, Yonbi"

She was still smiling, and Naruto asked "do you just let everyone in, that's a little dangerous. We came to wa-"

"I let you in because I could tell you weren't going to hurt me, I feel like I know you. The Shichibi told me. I've never met anyone like me! I didn't even know there were others! I'm Fuu."

"You didn't know there were others?"

"No, was I supposed to?" "Erm…" He didn't know what to say, he looked to the rest but they all avoided eye contact. "I guess not.." It wasn't a lie. "Look Fuu, we're here to warn you, there are these people called the Akatsuki, they plan to extract the bijuu's and use them for their own purposes. They're powerful and they're dangerous. They've been chasing us and we've decided to stick together since it's our best shot at defeating them and avoid getting captured."

"You want me to join you?" "Yes. I know it's hard to wrap your head around but-"

"I'll go." "…Um, yes! That's great! We have to leave soon to get the others."

"Ok then. Do you guys want anything? Sorry I don't get visitors a whole lot."

Naruto nodded "I'll have water." Everyone else declined and he sat back into the couch wanting to fall in completely and forget about everything. They needed to get to Kumo quickly. He turned his head towards the window, watching the breeze rattle the leaves outside.

Fuu was so happy, she met people like her! She felt a sense of comfort from them, she hadn't gotten that except for one other person, but that person was now since long gone. She didn't want to stay in Taki, this place was no home to her. She was almost certain that the village would be happy to be rid if her. They were far friendlier and she liked them already, she had never left the outside of her village. She didn't know why, the only thing that kept her here was her home and the memories inside but now that she had a chance to leave, to see more of the world she was going to take it. The Akatsuki didn't sound pleasant to her either, she would help them get rid of them then she would live her life and she would never look back.

She got and brought Naruto's drink and noticed he looked tired, they all did. "Maybe we should stay here a little bit before setting out, all of you look weak."

"I think that sounds like a great idea" Han said in a surprisingly loud but booming voice. He reclined back into the sofa and soon he was snoring, Roshi then started nodding off and he was eventually leaning against red metal plating sleeping with his mouth slightly open. Fuu couldn't help but giggle at the sight. She felt oddly peaceful even though she had complete strangers in her house. She walked over to the cupboards and started taking out things.

"Come here, you guys are going to help me before we leave". Naruto raised an eyebrow at Gaara who just shrugged. They walked over and she started telling them what to cut and what to put where. They worked in silence but that was awkward at first but then eased up.

"Where are you guys from?"

"Suna and Konoha" Gaara answered on behalf of both.

"What's it like there? How old are you? I'm sixteen."

"We're both fourteen. Konoha is very….sunny and…lively." Naruto didn't know how to handle her question, she was very curious and bubbly, it was very different from how she answered at the door. "As is Suna, but dry and full of sand."

There was stirring from the couches and Han got up stretching causing Roshi to jerk up in surprise. "How long have we been asleep?"

"About an hour" Gaara said in his monotone voice.

'_Strange how she asked about villages, almost as if she hasn't travelled outside_.' "Aren't you a ninja? Haven't you visited other places?"

"Well, technically I'm a ninja but they don't let me venture out, they send people over frequently to check on me. I've never really left village, I've just stayed here, but I train."

"Why?" Han asked from apparently nowhere.

"They say that if they ever need me for something they'll call me, they give me missions but most are within the village."

Gaara looked at her "why haven't you left earlier?"

Fuu's brow furrowed and she said in a confused voice "This is the only place I've known, I don't know…"

Changing the subject quickly she said "the food is done. So what are we going to do, is there some other place we're going to hide or something?"

Naruto said "no, we have to get the rest of the jinchuuriki, we need to find the other four before the Akatsuki finds them."

"There are four more?" Fuu asked "Yes, there are nine of us and we have to find them."

She nodded and they started eating. They didn't talk much except for small talk here and there. Their next destination was Kumo. They didn't look like normal shinobi, Roshi had his funny mask around his face, Han was in head to toe red armor, Naruto had whiskers on his face and Gaara had his black outlined eyes and his love tattoo. She was worried about the Akatsuki, but that was overridden by her interest in them, she really hadn't had contact with people outside the villagers but they were mean and irritating, let alone people like _her_.

They finished and cleaned up and prepared to start travelling again. They were now standing outside and Fuu was locking her door when she threw her key into the forest. Roshi said with confusion and a raised eyebrow "why did you do that? What about when you come back?"

"I can break the door down" Fuu just blinked at him with her head cocked to one side as if he wasn't the one understanding. They all stared at her with weird expressions she didn't understand and walked past them but before she jumped into the trees she turned to them. "Besides, I don't think I'm coming back."

* * *

"Katsu!" A giant explosion blew up in the center square of Iwa. "Burn to the ground yeah!" a giant Deidara was standing above the village destroying it to the ground with flames all around him. He laughed somewhat deranged and sent a clay bird into a tower and sent a tiny army of explosive spiders onto the city streets. He heard the screams of the villagers and smirked to himself.

"Katsu!"

"Katsu!"

"Deidara"

"Katsu!"

"Deidara" He heard Sasori calling him and he groaned and looked around. He was in his room, he was having a great dream. "What do you want, hm?"

"The others have arrived with some news. Leader is calling a meeting." He was staring down at him from the side of his bed with his normal uninterested look on his face. Deidara rolled out of bed, he wanted to nap more.

The Akatsuki base was at the center of the village of Ame. It was hidden underground so no one knew about them, it also helped that Pain also happened to be the village leader. They took the elevator and they found themselves packed in with Itachi, Kisame, Tobi and Zetsu. Deidara refused to wait for the next one so he got it. It was slightly crowded and he found himself close to Tobi and Sasori. It was awkwardly silent besides Tobi's nonstop blabbering but he tuned him out. He glared at Itachi through the reflection of the metal, oh how he hated Itachi.

They got off and entered the office, he saw that the rest of the Akatsuki was already there with Pain sitting at the desk. He had orange hair and several piercings in his face which was something that had surprised Deidara when he first met them. To his right side was Konan, she was second in command to him. It was known that they were childhood friends. Sasori and Deidara had reported earlier that the Kyuubi jinchuuriki was nowhere to be found and that they had returned giving the information they had. Pain had dismissed them and had called a meeting upon Hidan and Kakuzu's return. He had no idea what it was about.

Hidan was suspicious, _'what is everyone doing here?'_ They were in the middle of telling Leader about what had happened when he stopped them and called for the rest of the members to meet in his office. He looked straight at the Zombie Duo as they were known and said "now that everyone is here, start over."

Kakuzu decided to tell the story "we were sent to retrieve the file on the Yonbi and Gobi. We completed the mission and we discovered that the Ichibi jinchuuriki was also with them along with another whose identity is unknown."

Pain's voice boomed in the office "how did you find out this information?"

Kakazu saw Hidan's hand slightly twitch on his scythe beside him but it remained unnoticed but the rest. "We found them at a restaurant and decided to spy on them for a bit. We were listening to their conversation and overheard the unidentified jinchuuriki call the other by a name which belonged to the Ichibi jinchuuriki. When we realized they were together we came back to report."

Pain spoke again "I called you here because it was also reported to me by Deidara and Sasori that the Kyuubi jinchuuriki escaped and by Itachi and Kisame that upon arrival at Suna and completion of the mission it was found that the Ichibi jinchuuriki was reported to have defected. Now based on this information it is shows that they are gathering. This is not acceptable, I want Kakuzu and Hidan going after the Nibi and Hachibi. Deidara and Sasori will go after the Sanbi and Rokubi. Leave now."

When they all left Pain swiveled his chair around stared outside with Konan at his side. The dark grey storm cloud rolled over and the land was blurred by the downpour of rain.


	17. Did I Break It?

**AN:**I come bearing good news! I am finally out of school so I will be uploading more frequently! Woop Woop!

You get the deal I don't own Naruto. And yes, for those who have asked Yagura will be the Sanbi jinchuuriki. This is more about their travels so there isn't any major fighting or major plot development here but I just can't skip the time difference between leaving Taki and arriving at Kumo.

**Did I Break It?**

They hadn't seen any signs of the Akatsuki, but that didn't make Naruto any less paranoid or anxious. They had already been travelling for two days and Naruto still wasn't feeling any better. He was starting to drawing more and more attention to his "flu" no matter how much he tried to hide it. He had recently been needing to stop every once in awhile to vomit into nearby trees. Fu and Han had been constantly checking on him while Roshi watched from a distance with a slightly concerned look and Gaara constantly handing him water since he already knew what was happening.

The time was filled with talking, mostly from Fu, she was very curious about them and asked a lot of questions. Naruto mostly stayed quiet but found out quite a lot about them from their talking. She had asked about Han's armor, Roshi's lava, Gaara's sand and Naruto about what he could do. She had also asked him about why he was so sick, and he mostly answered with short answers, it was hard to stay focused on steadying his dizziness to not fall out of the trees and maintain conversation at the same time. When she asked about the rashes on his arm he just pretended not to hear her.

Through Fu's questions he found out a lot mostly about the two brothers. Roshi and Han knew what they did about different countries since they had permission from the Tsuchikage to travel as they pleased. Turns out they were the Tsuchikage's nephews. They had originally been allowed to so they could learn to control the Yonbi and Gobi's power, but after tensions rose between them and the villagers they left frequently. Naruto found that slightly confusing since Han didn't know how to use its power but Roshi did.

But Naruto couldn't casually talk like they could, he had a full gnawing anxiety, they had already passed the Land of Needles and where now half way through the Land of Sound. It was hard getting through undetected since a lot of the clans within the country were in war.

The sun was starting to fall and they had to set up camp soon. They stopped in a small clearing and got into the routine of setting up camp. They had already gathered the fire wood and Han used a small fire jutsu to light it. They were all moving back and forth, busy setting up camp when they heard noises in the distance. It sounded like fighting and Han said "we should leave, we're too close."  
They all nodded in unison and started moving further west. They continued for another mile and were about to stop when Roshi saw a kunai whirl dangerously close past him and land in a tree in front of him.  
Fu called out "You ok?"  
He had hadn't noticed the small red tag wrapped neatly around the handle signaling it was an explosive tag.  
"Yea, we ha-" then there was an ear splitting BOOM. The impact of the explosion was big and Fu felt herself fall backwards. She overhead Han shout "Roshi!" the explosion had been right next to him. She looked over and saw the smoke settle and Gaara's sand wrapped around Roshi forming a protective shield around him. She found herself letting out a small breath but still felt a loud ringing in her ears and her eyes still a little sensitive from the bright explosion.

Roshi turned and saw the tag had obliterated the tree, it would have blown him up too. He wondered why he was still intact and realized the sand around him. He glanced over and saw Gaara's arms in front of him directing the sand in Roshi's direction.  
"Th-"  
Before he could finish they saw more kunais fly by them all landing in the trees surrounding them. Within a second they found themselves in a dome of sand and felt the vibrations and heard the BOOMS of them going off. They all got into a defensive stance and when Gaara retracted his sand there was no one there.

Then out of the shadows came ninjas all dressed in traditional ninja attire. They were surrounded completely on all sides. The five huddled all back to back in a defensive stance in the middle. Naruto called out "what do you want? We have no issues with you and we're not involved in your war."

"We're not in their war either." Then Naruto saw the glistening forehead protector with a musical note on it. Sound ninja. "But Orochimaru-sama needs more ninja for his experiments, he would be very pleased if we brought him more."

He was about to say something when the ninja threw a kunai at him and started coming at him. He immediately blocked an incoming kick and blocked the ninja's other kunai with his own. He made shadow clones to fight off the other ninja.

They were locked in a stalemate. He saw Gaara throwing the ninjas around like rag dolls with his sand and then he heard "Sand Prison." He saw Han and Fu fighting off ninjas with taijutsu and steam surrounding them coming from Han's armor. Roshi had used an earth jutsu to entrap some Sound ninja in mud while he finished them off.

He didn't know how much longer he could go since his muscles were about to give out. They ached so much and it was such a deep seated persistent ache that it became a sharp pain all over. Naruto wasn't going to lose here though, he could do this! It was just one Sound ninja, so he managed to overpower the other against a pain that begged him to stop. He knocked the kunai out of his hand and ended up chopping off part of his finger in the process. He pulled back and in the moment he pounced on his and started punching him.

He was kicked off and hit a tree and pain travelled up his back but he ignored it. He was keeping up pretty well since the ninja was significantly taller than him. They were punching and blocking one another and every once in awhile he would hear the distinct POP of a clone dissipating and the memories of the clone would come.

He was vaguely aware of the rest of the Sound ninja retreating, and the Sound nin was forcing Naruto to back up towards a tree. He inwardly smirk to himself. He turned around and used chakra to run up the tree when the Sound nin made an attempt to slash at him with his kunai. He jumped off the tree and twisted himself so he landed sitting on his shoulders and wrapped each of his legs around his armpits. He used the momentum and his legs to flipped himself back the Sound nin with him. He ended up straddling his back and lifting both his knees so that it was only his chest and face that took the impact of the flip. He landed his a loud crack and a yelp. He probably broke a rib or two. It hurt because of the pressure it put on his legs and knees but it hurt the Sound nin more. Naruto liked this position since it was so versatile, he could pull more and dislocated both his shoulders or the ligaments, he could break his elbows, bend them backwards, break his hands or wrists… instead he settled of grabbing his hair and putting a kunai against his neck.

He was interrupted by Gaara's voice "Uzumaki we have to leave right now." Naruto then said in a low voice "retreat and forget about seeing us, are we clear?" The Sound nin grunted in agreement and Naruto let him go and he fled quickly. He got up and looked over to the four who were staring at him. "What?"

Fu had a surprised look on her face and then blurted out "that was so cool! How did you learn that!"

Naruto just smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders "a friend of mine taught it to me a long time ago."

Han had a small smirk on his face "let's keep moving it's not safe here." The group kept moving even though they were supposed to be resting. Naruto thought he was going to give out any second now. His mind was filled with paranoia and the insufferable talking of a certain voice. His mind wandered to the Sound ninja, '_Orochimaru-sama needs more ninja for his experiments.'_

Orochimaru. He knew Sasuke had left in search for power and revenge to that snake bastard. It filled him with anger even though some part his mind knew why he did what he did. He would have probably gone after him had things not played out the way they did. Probably. But too much had happened too much changed, Sasuke chose to break the bond not Naruto. It hurt, it hurt knowing that he valued their friendship less than his power. It completely clouded his judgment. Maybe the extent of their bond had been one sided on Naruto's part. Maybe he got too excited when Sasuke finally started acknowledging him and they had a mutual understanding of each other. Turns out they didn't, maybe Naruto was too eager to have a bond like that and misread it all together.

But Sasuke had said it was the closest bond he had had at the Valley of the End. They were bestfriends , but actions speak louder than words. Right now Naruto hoped Sasuke got his revenge, he hoped he drowned in it. Some part of him also wanted to help him but he also hoped it would come back and bite him in the ass, Karma could be a real bitch if she wanted to be.

They continued until they were a quarter of the way out of Sound country, Naruto was very ready to leave this country. They found a spot that was quiet all around and deserted for the most part. They got into their routine of setting up camp and it was Fu and Roshi's turn to find food. They had dinner with everyone on guard, it was tense for the most part. Gaara had his usual part as guard while everyone slept.

Naruto still had difficulty sleeping since the nightmares still came. Sometimes he wouldn't remember them but have the very strong feeling of fear and sometimes they felt so real. By now instead of trying to sleep he would just go sit by Gaara and keep watch with him, so he did.

He opened his eyes and realized it was dawn but it was strange since he had no nightmare the night before. The lightheadedness and dizziness was gone. The ache that had long turned into a sharp pain felt duller today. That only meant one thing.

"**You don't have much to go Kit. I can't pinpoint exactly how long but its passing, you should start feeling better."**

He was so relieved, he could breathe more now. The worst was over, it was like hell but the worst was over. _'Finally.'_ He let out an exhausted sigh.

He stood up and the lightheadedness and dizziness was gone, the world no longer spun and everything was clearer. He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face, for the past almost two weeks he had not gone a second without it but just like that it was gone. It was strangely liberating.

"Someone slept well." He turned to Gaara who was getting his stuff ready. "It's passing Gaara! The dizziness is gone, I'm starting to feel better."

"That's good news. You should wake up the rest." So Naruto did just that with more of a bounce in his step even though the monster was still there shouting and fighting, thrashing at the thought of it being silenced soon. The cravings were still there but they were receding slowly, he hadn't felt the an overwhelming urge in awhile like in the beginning.

They packed up and kept going, they covered more of a distance since Naruto was pushing himself more and caused them to pick up their pace. They moved out of Sound Country and were now in the Land of Hot Water, which was very humid and sticky. In the next two days they would be out and into the Land of Frost. They stopped at a small village of civilians and were going to stay at a hotel, the ground was hurting their backs and rather uncomfortable but then they discovered a major problem; they were running out of money.

They were going to use most of Naruto, Gaara and Fu's remaining money to stay in the hotel but then that was it. Han and Roshi had lost all their money during the fire. To make matters worse they could only manage to rent one room for five. The receptionist was obviously cheating them but it was the only hotel so they had no option. "Guys! What are we going to do?" Naruto asked in the room. There was one king sized bed in the room.

Roshi had a sly grin on his face "There's a big city nearby right?" He took the map attached at Naruto's hip and laid it out on the table. "Hey!" he called out. "Yu, it's a hidden village" he pointed to it with everyone huddled around the table looking down at it. "It's a pretty big city, there should be a casino or two, right? We should be good by the time we leave."

A small smile spread across Naruto's face, it's been awhile since he played poker.

* * *

That night was awful. Even if the country was famous for its hot springs it was incredibly humid and sticky, at least the room had an AC. Naruto was reduced to wearing his own boxers to not burst into flames even though he was still shaking and was standing in front of the AC with his mouth open. It wasn't helping his dry mouth but it felt good. He had just showered but the sweat on his face was drying making him feel dirty again.

He had noticed in the fogged up mirror that he was looking better, the bags were still there but his face had lost some of the shadows to it and his hair was slowly getting its shininess back. His slightly tan skin that had turned a sickly pale color was reverting back to its natural color too. The rashes were still there but were losing their angry red color. The burning in his veins still pulsated on and off but the intensity was less than yesterday.

Gaara was in shorts and a T-shirt lying in an armchair with his head tilted back and his eyes closed. Fu was laying on the hard wood floor with her face pressed against the wood. Roshi had is head in the freezer and Han was sprawled across the bed. It was weird seeing him without his armor and mask he wore over his face. He had dark brown stuffy hair, a black t shirt underneath and ninja pants that bunched up above the ankles. You could actually see his face better now his eyes were a hazelish color.

He would recognize that impassive monotone voice threatening him anywhere. "Uzumaki back away from the air conditioner, it is very hot and I will not hesitant to use force if needed."

"But it's hootttttt" he whined. "Gaki you're blocking the air, you better back away, I agree with Red."

Gaara's head shot up and raised a nonexistent at him "Red?" Roshi simply nodded into the freezer.  
Fu let out incoherent mumbling that sounded like it was in agreement. He backed away from the blissful air, how the natives didn't explode simply amazed him.

"Maybe sleeping will make it less hot and besides we have to wake up early tomorrow." They didn't respond but they all shifted to their sleeping areas. Naruto walked over to the couch and plopped himself down while Fu got up and lied down on the other couch opposite him. Gaara was staying in the armchair. Han rolled over in the bed letting his arm hang over the edge while Roshi shuffled over to the other side of the bed and threw himself on it. This was the least weird sleeping arrangement.

That night he tried to sleep but was failing. The monster's ramblings and insults were louder and for some reason it was getting to him more than usual. He could get periods of sleep only to wake up and feel a strong loathing. It seemed the voice wouldn't go down without a fight.

He woke up the next day with a jump, he knew he had had a nightmare but couldn't remember, but he remembered red eyes. They were pupiless and sent shivers down his back. His back no longer hurt either. He looked around in a panic and noticed that his rashes were faint now, some more faint than others but that was it. The stabbing ache, dry mouth, sweating and shaking was still there.

They decided to skip breakfast to catch up on time missed and soon reached the city of Yu. Naurto was shocked when they arrived and there were no walls surrounding it like other hidden villages and they were let in with no hassle just their names written down, but of course they used fake ones.

They dissipated their henges and Roshi and Han told them how the villages had long forgotten wars and chose to be peaceful instead.

"We should visit the hot springs, I only came here once but never got around to it." Roshi said excitedly. "No" Han said, "we have to move in and out, we're just making a quick stop."

"Well we can make a quick stop there."

Fu said "I want to go to the hot springs! I've only been to one before! Please!"

Han scolded both of them "No Fu,…we have priorities." He got a pout and Roshi waving his hand dismissively "fine, fine."

* * *

The trip to the casino was quick, well should've been. Fu had a tendency to get distracted by everything since it was so new. Roshi and Han had gone to one of the tables and Naruto wasn't allowed to go since he would raise too much suspicion. Han wasn't one for that and Roshi had only brought Han to "carry his winnings." He couldn't help but roll his eyes. They had left the trio to their own devices but to stay close, but it was hard with Fu wandering off.

Naruto was on a slot machine and Fu next to him and Gaara behind, when he was running low on money and gave up. Fu sat at a slot machine, which Naruto thought was a bad idea, she had no idea how to use it let alone play before. They were almost out of money but she kept asking how to do it. She had been watching Naruto and wanted to do it so Naruto explained it to her, with Gaara saying "do you think that's a smart idea?"

"No, but do you want to tell her no." "…Very well then."

After two tries the lights started going off and it was making noises. Fu looked at Gaara kind of panicked "did I break it?"

Naruto had his mouth slightly open and was having a hard time forming coherent words. "No, you won" said the monotone voice. Then coins started shooting out of the machine and they picked them up to go exchange them. Naruto was still standing there _'How did she… she didn't even know how to play…What?'_

"**You've got to love your luck, eh, Kit?"**

"Naruto lets go" came the cheerful voice of a certain mint haired person. "…Coming" he walked towards them with a smirk on Gaara's face and a raised eyebrow from Fu at Naruto's behavior.

* * *

Their 'mission' at the casino had turned out quite successful. They had earned more than enough and made their way to the market where they restocked their weapons and got more appropriate clothes for the coming Land of Frost. Fu bought black ninja pants and a long sleeve light orange t shirt that matched her clip. While at the market place Naruto had noticed that Fu turned oddly hostile to some of the civilians. It was strange to see how her mood changed rather quickly just by being around civilians.

They had an early lunch that was filled with conversation mostly about the brothers and Fu and their earnings. Despite good-natured taunting from Roshi for losing to Fu Naruto felt oddly content.

They decided it was best to keep going, they hadn't wasted much time but they were starting to push it.

* * *

They arrived in the Land of Frost and wore the cloaks they had bought in Yu. It was rather cold in the Land of Frost and Gaara could see his breath. It was plain with a thicker than normal coating of frost on the ground. Everything had a slight chill to it.

They progressed farther into the country and decided to set up camp. Roshi and Han used a very small fire jutsu to melt the frost from the ground. They then returned back to what had become their normal ritual for setting up camp. He was staring at the map, they had reached an incredible amount of ground, more than most days. They would probably reach Kumo in five and a half days.

They didn't have to hunt this time since they had brought food that would sustain longer at Yu. They had also bought tents, three to be exact.

He noticed Naruto and Fu were having trouble setting up the tents and Fu had gotten herself entangled it. Naruto had started chuckling and Gaara sighed deciding to go over and help.

Everyone had gone to their tents and Gaara was once again keeping guard. They had spent the last two days in hotels, so right now lying on the floor was less than appeasing. He had some of his sand around him to cushion the ground and tree he was against. His mind drifted to the past two days, why did he feel so…content?...peaceful the last two days? He had never really felt like that, in his entire life. He found himself enjoying their company, he could stand them and them didn't do anything that would force him to dislike or attack him.

He felt that nagging presence that only happened when Shukaku forced his way to the forefront of his mind. He had managed to successfully repress him for awhile now, but he couldn't always.

'_What do you want?'_

"**What do I always want mortal?"** He wanted to get out, destroy something, drive Gaara insane. He always did.

"**I can't wait for the day I get to leave this cursed prison."**

'_You must obviously know about the Akatsuki, don't you have bigger matters on your hands?'_

"**We can deal with them once they come, they don't worry me."**

'_We?'_

"**Yes seeing as you don't have much of a choice"**a mental image passed of the giant sand raccoon's Chesire cat like grin.

"**I must say though, it's been awhile since the family got together, this should be quite eventful. Just because they're fellow jinchuuriki does not mean that they will hesitate to put themselves first in case of danger. Keep your guard up, I will not die due to your rising affections for them."**

'_Don't tell me what to do'_ and with that he severed the connection and pushed the bijuu to the farthest corner of his mind so he wouldn't have to hear him. He hated the bijuu and never trusted him, he only needed him when he was low on chakra. He had made him go on rampages over the years and after the Sound's invasion he hadn't had one. He sat looking at the stars but couldn't help thinking about everything the bijuu had just said.


End file.
